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THE PAGES OF LIFE 

BY JOHN McARTHUR WILL. 
Author of 

"Out of Darkness Into Light" 
"The Profiteer;" 

"La Vesta, The Girl With A Purpose," 
etc. etc. 



BOSTON 

The [Roxburgh Publishing Company 
Inc. 








Copyrighted 1919 
By JOHN McARTHUR WILL 
All Rights Reserved 



JAN i 6 rJ^O 

©Cl, A56149 2 

^0 { 


io 

o 

rjd 

THE PAGES OF LIFE 


I. 

Had we but known — 

That the words and deeds we so scornfully had cast, 
In cruel contempt, like an angry dart, 

Sliing from the bow of the barbarous past. 

Would speed through trackless space, till at last, 
Their poisonous barbs would pierce a loving heart. 
Cleaner, purer, more spotless than our own. 

II . 

Had we but thought — 

That the mercy we ourselves would humbly plead — 
Of Pagan Gods or sceptered tyrants, of ages gone, 
And. scoffed — yet in our low-born selfish greed 
For lust, we scattered pain to those we had decreed 
To bear our stings — and spill the filthy venom on. 
That flowed from our hearts and we heeded not. 

III. 

Had we but learned. 

That as we sow that shall we also reap, 

We would, instead of treachery, contempt and scorn. 
Have strewn the paths that weary feet had worn 
Through the fields of hope, with pleasures sweet; 
We now in grief would not be called to mourn. 
With saddened hearts, the love we so had spurned. 


4 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


IV. 

Had we but obeyed, 

The laws of God, instead of to wantonly heed 
The unwritten mandates of our conscious selves 
That soared to the crest of life’s mistakes, only to 
delve 

In darkest despair; we now, in our utmost need. 
Could call for help beyond the price of princely 
selves, 

The soothing balm, for which our forbears prayed. 


V. 

Had we but recalled. 

The bitter words and deeds, that in angry haste, 
We sent forth from a cruel and torturous hand. 
To wound the pride where smouldering embers were 
fanned. 

To love’s brightest flames, but had made to taste, 
The bitter draught that flows unfiltered o’er the sand 
Of countless hopes that’s strewn long the path of all. 


CHAPTER 1. 


‘‘Circumstances breed Events ; and Events 
are the Pages of Life.” We will let you di- 
vide the Story of Life into three chapters, 
and you will find that the first chapter holds 
an over-ruling and all-powerful sway over the 
remaining two. but strange as it may appear, 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


5 


you will also find that the first is the very one 
that we ourselves have but little, if any, con- 
trol over. 

In the beginning, we are supposed to be the 
offspring of two loving hearts, and to those 
two hearts we owe our existence. 

The love that bands those two hearts to- 
gether, may or may not be the kind that is 
always required to properly harmonize the 
lives of a family circle. It may or may not 
be the kind that is such a potent factor in 
solving the question of future happiness. It 
may or may not be the kind that should bring 
blessings upon posterity, generation after gen- 
eration, with the beauties of character that 
God so intended when He created the very 
first after His own image and likeness. But 
whichever it may be, all that we can say is 
that we are here in response to the call of 
nature, and whether it be to garner in the 
beauties that bloom in the garden of happi- 
ness or to bear the burdens derived from a 
disgraceful, sinful, or discontented co-partner- 
ship, is the very first event over which we 
have no control. But, happily, the first ten 
years or so is of but little concern to us. For 
up till that time, nature has so kindly cloaked 
us over with a blissful ignorance that keeps 
out the facts. 

But long before we reach the end of the 
first chapter, a true realization of those facts 
flood themselves upon our awakening minds, 


6 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


and the few pages that already have been 
turned, together with the many that is yet to 
turn, bring to us the ever lingering anxiety 
to know why it is so ; but the only response 
that we can get to our question, is the one 
echoed back to us from the walls of time — 
Why is it so? 

Some still linger along in the belief that 
the answer is plainly and completely given in 
the Scriptures, when it says that the sins of 
the father is visited upon the child ; but by no 
means is that answer complete, and a question 
half answered is not answered at all. 

Many of us are willing to believe that in a 
physical sense, that ruling bears very strongly 
upon the truth ; but when we are brought face 
to face with the moral sense, we oft-times get 
the facts thrust before us in such a way and 
manner that we have hard work- to crowd 
down the opinion that the mother is not just 
as accountable as the father; and in justice 
to one side, and fairness to the other, we are 
going to spread before your gaze the pages 
that hold the life’s records of mortal pawns 
that are moved about on the checker-board of 
life, to suit the whimsical fancies of Fate. 

As in regards to the laws of man, as well 
as the penalties enacted for their breaking, we 
have assumed that everybody knows them, and 
therefore have erected as a barrier to the 
escape of their punishment, the ruling that 
the ignorance of the law excuses no one. 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 7 

Nevertheless, it matters not how severe the 
punishment may be that is meted out to the 
breaker, the gambling instinct is so firmly 
embedded into the human character that we 
find crime committed every hour of the day, 
regardless of any and all penalties. For in 
the gambling nature of humanity, the chance 
will always be taken, that the perpetrators of 
the unlawful acts will go unfound ; or, that 
there is always a chance to escape punishment, 
through the technical loopholes that perforate 
the very laws that were enacted to prevent 
all crimes whatever. And in justification to 
our laxity, we have hedged in our own con- 
science by providing the very charitable 
maxim, that it is better for a hundred guilty 
ones to go free than for an innocent one to 
be punished ; and from the overflow of our 
lenient hearts spring the greed for corruption, 
while the undeniable fact remains that every 
guilty one that goes free brings punishment 
upon all whom he or she comes in contact 
with. But not so with the laws of God. For 
if you will search out the first authentic his- 
tory of the world, you will easily find that 
the divine laws that were laid down for the 
benefit and protection of mankind carried with 
them no amendments whatever; and the ten 
most important factors in life, that were 
singled out from the others, bore with them 
the same punishment for the breaking of one 
as for the other; and the commandment that 


8 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


‘‘Thou Shalt Not SteaF’ was of the same im- 
portance as the one “Thou Shalt Not Kill/’ 

But as time has crept over us, and sin cast 
a deeper shadow over the world, the hand of 
man has substituted lesser punishments, till 
at the present stage, some of the crimes that 
had then been designated as the most dire 
oflfences against the tranquility of the human 
race, now go unpunished, and in some cases 
unnoticed, so far as the principal offenders 
are concerned, but leaving future generations 
to pay for them by going through life with a 
cloud of disgrace overhanging their heads, in- 
stead of a crown of honor. Therefore, the 
man-made laws, though they may provide an 
easy substitute for the more stringent Divine 
ones, and afford the offenders an easier es- 
cape from their punishment, does not annul 
the fact that posterity ever has to pay the 
price; for it has been written, that thou shalt 
not sin against thy God, thyself, or thy neigh- 
bor, and what has been written is true. 

We have used remarkable energy in search- 
ing out the words of both prophet and apostle, 
and then, not appearing satisfied with the in- 
terpretations that were placed upon them, we 
have carefully tried out their truthfulness by 
defying the ones that we should have re- 
spected, ignored the ones that we should have 
guarded with a diligent care, and with the 
same care have we both guarded and re- 
spected the ones that had no bearing whatever 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 9 

on our own welfare or for the welfare of 
the ones that were to follow after us into the 
future — just so long as our present desires 
for pomp, power and lust are satisfied for 
the time being. 

How eagerly we grasped the advice that in 
Matthew is so voluntarily handed to us, for 
to take no thought for the morrow, and 
stretched it out so that its borders would 
cover a multitude of misdeeds, as well as the 
subject of food and raiments that were in 
question at the time. And the dull, meaning- 
less, and expressionless eyes of the ones that 
occupy the wards of our asylums; the wan 
faces, that can be seen behind our prison 
walls; the distorted forms, that fill our chari- 
table institutions ; as well as the down-cast 
spirits and heavy hearts, that can be found 
treading the every-day paths of life, bear 
silent witness as to the thoughtless disregard 
ve have had for the morrow. 

How often do we hear the remark, coming 
from ones that have hardly reached the prime 
of life, that had they their lives to live over 
how differently they would be ; but you never 
hear that from those that have lived clean, 
moral lives ; for in such lives you will note that 
contentment reigns supreme, and those are the 
ones that can thumb back the pages that bear 
the records of their deeds and, with a just 
pride, point out to the world that it is the 
world that is owing them, and not they the 


10 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


world ; and in such a realization there is bound 
to be joy. But not so with the others, for a 
review of the pages of their lives only brings 
to them the true realization of the facts that 
all of the pleasures and gains that they have 
derived from their misdeeds were all pur- 
chased on the credit system ; and in their 
eagerness to close a deal that looked so glist- 
ening to them, they had not only overlooked 
the fact that a gold brick had been palmed off 
on them, but the joker that had been so skill- 
fully inserted called for the installments to 
be paid when they were the least able to meet 
the obligation, as well as a rate of interest 
that was so exhorbitant in its proportions, that 
the only way that the burdensome debt could 
be cancelled would be to overtax the lives of 
future generations. For it mattered not with 
what ease the debtors had evaded their obli- 
gations to mankind, the debt ever liveth ! And 
though they have never received any benefits 
from the purchase, posterity is ever compelled 
to pay the bill, regardless of its proportions. 
Quite often you can find Remorse, Dishonor, 
and Disgrace overlapping each other, in three 
generations, and in that case the toll is heavy, 
for though it is a hard matter indeed for an 
observer to say which is bearing the greatest 
burden, it is an easy conjecture as to which 
is the innocent purchaser; for though the 
younger offspring may have had nothing what- 
ever to do with the transaction, he or she is 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


11 


sorrowfully aware that they are joint partners 
when it comes to the settlement — as it is soon 
discovered by them in sorrow and disgrace, 
that the interest on the debt has long since 
outweighed the principal, and that is the part 
over which they have had no control, but has 
been thrust upon their backs to accompany 
them through life, while that thoughtless dis- 
regard their forbears have had of the morrow 
has been the means of erecting unsurmount- 
able barriers, shutting them out from the 
realms of happiness, that otherwise, they were 
entitled to. Sorrowfully, they struggle along, 
robbed of the peace of mind that is so essen- 
tial in the make-up of a happy life, burdened 
with a disgrace that prevents them from meet- 
ing their fellov/ beings on equal grounds, till 
at last, despairingly, they are compelled to 
throw up their hands and ask aloud, “What’s 
the use?” For what is bred in the bone, won’t 
run from the marrow ; and from that moment 
they are lost — innocent victims, paying the 
penalty for the crimes of others and over 
which they had no control ; robbed of a birth- 
right of glory, robed in a mantle of shame. 
And why? That thoughtless disregard for 
the morrow. 

Dear reader, we wish to open to your view 
the life’s history of two of those unfortunate 
victims, and, in the hopes that it will do jus- 
tice to others, that are writhing under the 
same burdens, that by spreading the pages of 


12 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


two eventful lives and the records of two 
troubled careers before your eyes, that its 
lines will reveal to you the Wages of Sin in 
such a forceful manner that every word will 
leave an impression upon your hearts, and 
brand deeply into your souls; a lesson that 
will not only prove a blessing to yourselves, 
but to the generations that are to follow you 
into the future; and that those same words 
will bring to bear upon your minds the full 
and true significance of that beautiful old 
proverb — That an ounce of prevention is 
worth a ton of cure. 

Hard? Yes it is hard; for it not only 
brings to the piercing eyes of the world the 
transgressions of our own flesh and blood, but 
it brings to the surface a truthful panoramic 
view of the sins that some are compelled to 
answer for, though they be helpless and inno- 
cent as to their cause. Easy? Yes easy; be- 
cause the truth is the easiest thing in the 
world to tell; and though it may be stranger 
than fiction, it is far more beautiful ; for it 
matters not at what depths it is sunken, it 
will always bob to the surface in time, to 
prove its title clear. 

For a location, we will paint a picture of 
Minnesota, because it is true; the characters 
will be a family of Germans, for the very 
same reason, and their name will be Wish, 
for the very substantial reason that it is not 
true; the time, past, present and future. We 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


13 


will diverge from the old line, and in this 
story the mothers will be the villains, while 
their offspring will be the hero; and the Sun- 
beam in the blackest pit, the Lily among the 
briars, will be the German-American girl 
named Elsie, because that too is true. 


CHAPTER 11. 


Minnesota, that enchanting name! But no 
more enchanting that Minnesota itself, the 
gateway to the Golden West; lake and land, 
land and lake; each vieing with the other for 
supremacy of beauty, contesting each other 
as to the productiveness of life. The meet- 
ing place of all Creation, where the Arctic 
meets the Tropic and blends into a happy 
medium ; where the virgin forest of the East 
is clasped in the outstretched arms of the 
Western plains; and the gladsome smiles of 
all is mirrored in the waters at their feet. 
Why, in the mad rush of emigration, so many 
traveled in and out of her boundaries in search 
of homes, before availing themselves of every 
tillable foot of her surface, is the question 
that Minnesota asks herself? The answer is, 
that the gambling nature of humanity leads 
them on in search of better, though it be 
through Paradise. But to the movement of 


14 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


nearly all great masses there comes a rebound, 
and after all was settled down it was found 
that a large slice of emigration had found 
its way safely back in Minnesota, after once 
passing her by. 

Builders of nations, of commerce, of homes ; 
all there. They wove, they spun, and their 
numbers increased, along with their wealth; 
broad acres were narrowed down to make 
homes for the many instead of the few. As 
the primitive forests and patches of oaks 
withdrew from view, cities, towns and ham- 
lets sprang up to fill their places; ribbons of 
steel reached out, transforming a wearisome 
day’s journey into a comfortable hour ride — 
uniting city and town, town and farmstead. 
Over and over again were those acres split, 
decreasing the size of the farm, increasing 
the number of homes; when among the oak 
openings, and on a few acres that lay tightly 
wedged between a public thoroughfare and a 
railroad, a family of Germans made their 
home, pleasantly surrounded by other sturdy 
settlers of the same race; for the old proverb 
that ''birds of a feather will flock together,” 
was made for Minnesota. 

That family consisted of father, mother, and 
a quartette of girls, together with everything 
that is necessary in the construction of a 
peaceful home, except a just thoughtfulness 
for the morrow; poor, but healthy, and pos- 
sessed of the usual amount of energy that so 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


15 


marks the German people. The old folks 
toiled at home, the young ones, for others; 
and by combining their earnings, prosperity 
was smiling upon them, while contentment 
took its flight. Growing up into the glorious 
realms of womanhood, the only recreation 
there was for those girls were the dancing 
floors, that so marks every German settlement, 
and a recreation that too often is over in- 
dulged in. That fact, later, was learned to 
their sorrow. 

They soon discovered that amongst those 
young settlers their choice of suitors were 
many and varied ; but in their choice of ideals, 
lay the viper in their path, for to them, the 
integrity of a suitor in his every-day walks 
of life was counted as second to his ability on 
the dancing floor. In time, the eldest made 
her choice, for better or for worse, and was 
led from the family circle to begin one of 
her own. Soon after, the second followed in 
the footsteps of her sister, and all went well 
till the third, finding that she had made a 
wrong choice, (or rather that her mother had 
made a wrong choice for her), clouds began 
to darken her horizon and she longed for a 
choice of her own. Discontent blurred the 
sunshine of her life, and she refused to be 
appeased. Kindness and attention on the part 
of her husband availed nothing, for her heart 
was elsewhere than where she had pledged it. 
He was a sturdy, hard working son of a 


16 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


well-to-do family, who warned him that if he 
was ready to place his life in bondage to a 
semi-profligate girl that they were ready to 
prove their disapproval of his act by their 
disavowal of him, and they acted accordingly. 
But in hopes that at last his parents would 
relent, he made the mistake of his life by 
carefully guarding the facts from his intended 
spouse, till after they were wedded. For to 
all of his entreaties that he was capable of 
providing both a home and happiness for 
themselves, the picture of the lavish and lux- 
urious life that she so had been painting had 
to be turned with its face to the wall, while 
the matter of time was the only thing await- 
ing to free them both from their wearisome 
environments. At last it came. Crazed with 
sorrow, he sought drink; crazed with drink, 
be sought crime — and then the law sought 
him. The bands were broken ; and not only 
did the divorce courts place them as under 
but the prison walls were placed between 
them, and in one sense, at least, they were 
free. In the gay and frivolous swirl of the 
day, they had failed to consider the more 
sober obligations of the morrow ; and what 
they at first had mistaken for love, proved to 
be a shadow — for in her love for his prospec- 
tive wealth she had overlooked all the good 
there was in him, while in his love for her, he 
had overlooked all the good there was to be 
found in wealth, and the only medium that 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 17 

could be struck spelled, not harmony, but dis- 
aster. 

She moved her few belongings to her 
father’s home, and sought consolement from 
the neighbors, but it was soon made plain to 
her by the way her former friends shunned 
her society that they had opinions of their 
own ; and in a short time one could see by 
the number of signatures that graced a peti- 
tion circulated in her neighborhood, and after- 
wards presented to the pardoning board, ask- 
ing for the release of her unfortunate hus- 
band, that they had no sympathy to waste on 
her. So when her maiden name of Helen 
Wish had been restored to her, it had been 
shorn of all its lustre, therefore leaving to 
her the choice of remaining at horde, ’mid 
the contempt that she so well had earned, or 
plying her vocation anew, in greener fields. 
She chose the latter, and in that move she 
learned that it was much easier to keep a name 
spotless than to remove the stains from a 
besmirched one. She was comely, and under- 
stood hotel work, and along that line she 
found it much easier to secure a position than 
to keep it; necessarily causing her sojourns in 
any one locality but of short duration. But 
that was to her liking, in fact, she was a 
short-order specialist in all that name implies. 
She could serve out her cheerful words and 
enticing smiles with the same grace as she 
could the breakfast foods to her hungry 


13 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


patrons; she could accept the overflow from 
liberal hearts with the same welcoming smile 
as the tip from a belated wayfarer. And she 
came honestly by her vocation, as it was bred 
in the bone and would not run from the mar- 
row. 

That fact, coupled with the fact that the 
greater part of her girlhood education had 
made htr a past mistress in the art of deceiv- 
ing, she catered only to the well-to-do, and 
many a man has asked himself the same ques- 
tion, and furnished himself with the sam.e 
answer, ‘'Why not? Though she is poor, pov- 
erty is no disgrace, and that sunny disposition 
would brighten any home.” From then, he 
was her prey. She would lead him on in 
easy stages and play with his at¥ections like 
a cat plays with a mouse, before devouring 
it. Like a cat, she liked to watch the miseries 
of her Adctim, but unlike the cat, whose only 
purpose was the pleasure derived at the tor- 
tured victim’s expense, her purpose was for 
gain. She liked to deal with outsiders, for 
she could handle them in larger num.bers by 
correspondence than in person, and to a 
greater advantage, as in that it gave her a 
better opportunity to prey upon the chari- 
table dispositions of the ones that had fallen 
in her way. She could write letters, both 
sad and serious, telling of her loneliness and 
of the hard lot that was hers; and they al- 
ways brought results. But when the timie 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


19 


arrived for her to show her hand, the an- 
swer was always ready, that although she 
would not say no she had set her mind, and 
made her plans, that she would still wait a 
little longer; and she would say it in a way 
that always led her followers to believe that 
the delay was for the purpose of testing the 
truthfulness of their love. Then from the 
ones that were faithful to her is where she 
reaped her harvest ; but before the time ar- 
rived for her to give a decision, they would 
receive information that she already had been 
married, and although she had secured a di- 
vorce, her former husband had threatened her 
life if he ever found her married to another, 
and that she had decided that it would be 
better for her to bear her own troubles than 
to carry them into the lives of others; and 
that her own mother and father were the 
only ones that she could truly care for. It 
would be a sad story, told in a sad, sad way; 
and it would be a hard-shelled heart, indeed, 
if that story failed to pierce it. In her care- 
fully guarded recital, she would make men- 
tion of a child, always leaving the impression 
with her would-be loved one that the child 
was hers. It was a system that always 
brought results ; for after listening to her tale 
of woe the victim would love her more and 
more; he would love her for her sorrows, 
and would decide that he could prove his 
faithfulness and good intentions by kindly 
helping the child. 


20 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


That would be the end of the first chap- 
ter, for to all of his entreaties Helen would 
turn a deaf ear, and their correspondence 
would be at an end. But in response to the 
little acts of kindness that found their way 
to the child, Mrs. Wish would now take a 
hand, and after informing the donor that his 
kindness had been received with the utmost 
gratitude on the part of the entire family, and 
that the said child was a bright, healthy little 
boy, she would state that the little fellow was 
being raised in profound ignorance of his 
true birth, and that he did not know but that 
Helen was his sister; that herself and her 
husband were the only papa and mama that 
he had any knowledge of ; that they were 
bringing him up to live a Christian life, and 
they all hoped to see him grow into a good 
and useful man. That was the second link 
in their chain of perfidy, and, dear reader, if 
you have one iota of knowledge as to the 
human heart, you will know just what such 
information as that would mean to a love- 
hungry man. He would picture that family 
as a kind and God-loving people. He would 
resolve in his own heart that such people de- 
served the very best treatment that one was 
able to bestow upon them, and to that end he 
also would resolve that he, himself, would do 
all that was within his power to help them 
accomplish their purpose in regard to the 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


21 


child, regardless of kindred ties. At this point, 
let us leave Helen for a time, busily spinning 
the web that is to ensnare others, while using 
her hotel occupation as a most necessary side 
line to her industry, making use of the din- 
ing rooms to transact the local affairs in, till 
the proprietor begins to get a little suspicious 
that all is not as it should be, when she is 
asked to move on. And next, we will pick 
up the fourth, and youngest sister, as another 
thread in the web that is so systematically 
woven, and trace her back to the primary 
cause, — '‘The Queen Scorpion’' of them all. 


CHAPTER HI. 


Now comes Bertha, the youngest of the 
four sisters ; less comely than the others, and 
for that reason her education along the line 
of perfidy had been somewhat retarded; a 
mere slip of seventeen, and at an age where 
the making or the marring of her life de- 
pended upon the influences that were brought 
to bear about her. She, with her sisters, had 
tasted of the frivolous gayety that accom- 
panies a reckless life, and found it m^ore to 
her liking than the sober pleasure of a clean, 
thoughtful one. Very early in life, she dis- 
covered that her extreme plainness of face 


22 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


was her one drawback, causing her society not 
only to be less in demand than that of her 
sisters but sought by a less desirable class of 
associates. She liked the swirl of gayety, and 
undaunted by the advantages that the others 
had over her, she managed to keep herself 
well into the lime-light. Her dream was the 
dance, the dance was her dream; and instead 
of the guiding hand of a thoughtful mother 
to point out to her the pitfalls that lie in the 
path of true womanhood, unrestrained, yes, 
even encouraged, in her efforts to gain popu- 
larity at any cost, she rushed pell-mell down 
the road to disaster. Rough-neck gatherings 
m.eant the same to her as the social ball. And 
while the late career of her sister Helen, to- 
gether with her own seemingly reckless choice 
of companions had tended to dampen the 
ardor of her manly friends, it had left to her 
the riff-raff as entertainers, and to be enter- 
tained. 

Shunned by the best, sought by the worst, 
she noticed the change ; but after a few ill- 
advised and feeble attempts to reach a higher 
plane, she soon decided that it would be far 
easier for her to stick to the path that she 
so had chosen than to make any efforts in 
the direction of honor. Her home duties were 
neglected, late and untimely hours marked her 
career. The advice of her father was met by 
the rebuffs of her mother, who informed him 
in a plain and stern manner that his advice 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


23 


in the matters pertaining to the conduct of 
he girls was not needed, and therefor un- 
called for. Then came the crash. The truth 
is mighty, and ever will prevail. A shadow 
of gloom took possession of that home, like 
had never been known before. The sleepless 
nights and uncontrolable temper on the part 
of mother, together with the wan, sad face 
of Bertha, told father that something was 
wrong, and when he caught her in tears he 
demanded an explanation, that, when hurled 
against his honest old heart, was the blow 
that has changed destinies of thousands. 

’Mid tears and anger, the doors of her 
childhood home were closed to her, and the 
very ones that she had slammed in childish 
play were now slammed in her face. Dis- 
heartened, dishonored, disgraced, she was now 
an outcast, seeking sympathy from a sneering 
world. She had lain upon the altar of gayety 
a sacrifice that is hard to replace. Her 
friends evaporated like a morning mist before 
a mid-day sun ; her sisters forbade her in their 
homes, and more to rid the community of her 
presence than from any touch of compassion, 
they secured for her shelter and care, under 
the roof of a public hospital, and left her to 
her fate — another victim to that thoughtless 
disregard for the morrow. The installments 
on her purchased pleasures were falling due, 
and their payment was demanded. Could she 
meet them? She did; but it was at the ex- 


24 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


pense of both her happiness and character; 
while that innocent little mortal that lay coo- 
ing on her breast was the one that inherited 
the hopeless burden of keeping up the interest 
the entire journey through life. 

It was then that a new book was opened, 
and from the fountain of truth were dipped 
the records that forever would bear testimony 
on the Pages of Life. And on those pages 
were spread a moral lesson to the world. Can 
it be explained why a man can commit crime, 
both in the eyes of God and man, and though 
he may be severely punished for it at the 
time, if he chooses, he can live an after life 
filled with deeds of such bright and glisten- 
ing colors that their reflection will blind the 
eyes of all humanity as to the stain that tar- 
nished his character; but a woman, never? 
Yes, it can. The Divine Power willed it so 
that she would be doubly thoughtful of the 
morrow. 

Ah, those were the golden days for that in- 
nocent little victim, but that blissful mantle of 
ignorance was too scanty in its proportions to 
enshroud the little mother, who, now friend- 
less and forsaken, even by her own kindred, 
destitute of worldly means, had plenty of time 
to reflect on the folly of her past, as well as 
to speculate on the prospects of her future ; 
who now proclaimed by her tears, that she 
felt the full weight of the burden that she 
had so wantonly brought upon herself, her 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


25 


kindred, and the world. Aeons of time was 
spent in those few dreary weeks, and the 
blackening clouds of despair were hovering 
overhead when from out the dismal gloom 
came a shining ray of hope, and that beau- 
tiful truth was again made manifest, that 

“The darkest hour of every night 

Is just before the dawn of light.” 

Homeless, scornfully and sneeringly shunned 
by former friends, shamefully ignored by sis- 
ters, and relentlessly forbidden by parents, 
the guardian Angel of the Lord descended in 
the form of a motherly and kind-hearted lady. 
Who knows what was written on the pages 
of that kindly woman’s life history? Who 
knows but that they, too, bore evidence that 
she, too, was numbered among the thousands 
that had thoughtlessly disregarded the mor- 
row ? Who knows but that she was the mother 
of one that had taken footsteps in the wrong 
direction ? But who cares, so long as the 
dazzling gleam of that day’s page blinded the 
eyes of all as to what was written on the 
others? It may have been memories of the 
past that incited her to deeds of honor; or 
it may have been the golden promises of the 
future. It may have been a manifestation of 
the seeds of love falling upon fertile soil and 
bringing forth the fruit that God so intended, 
or it may have been the compassion that the 
lowly Nazerene exhibited while on this old 
foot-stool of ours. 


26 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

But, whatever it was, the doors of her heart 
were swung ajar, as well as the doors of her 
home, and she bade them enter into both. They 
asked for bread ; she gave them bread, and not 
a stone. Without hopes or expectations of any 
earthly reward, except that of gratitude, from 
two unfortunate hearts, they were gathered 
back to the fold and under the shelter of her 
protecting care, their wants were supplied for 
months, saving them both from the question- 
able mercies of a more questionable world. 
But even then, though the walls of that pro- 
tecting haven shut her in from the taunting 
sneers of a relentless world, they were not 
thick enough to entirely bar the entrance to 
the ever-prying tortures that innocently would 
find their way in. 

People would come, and, attracted by 
the comely and healthy appearance of 
that little mite of misfortune, they 
would help that girlish little mother to feel 
the helplessness of her position by flaunting 
before her eyes pictures of the brilliant future 
that they could provide for her babe if she 
would but consent to turn him over to them 
in a legal adoption. But no. The strongest 
link in the chain that binds two hearts to- 
gether is the one called mother’s love, and the 
miore glowing were the pictures that were 
spread before her eyes, the more positive was 
she in her refusals; as she informed them, 
one and all, that she was ready either to beg 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


27 


or steal before she would give up her child. 
And in that determination, she was lent en- 
couragement by that kind-hearted protector, 
who kindly informed her that it would not be 
necessary for her to do either, as it was her 
intention to still further extend her helping 
hand and pilot them into the clear. 

Were it that we all had hearts as destitute 
of greed as the one that beat in the breast of 
that noble woman. What a world this would 
be, if in our hearts we bore a semblance of 
the charity that was within hers; we would 
need none of those glowing promises of fu- 
ture rewards that is now held out to us to 
incite us on to better deeds, for our deeds 
would be our Heaven and Heaven would be 
our home. All of the many different doc- 
trines, of the many different forms of wor- 
ship, would not be worth the breath it takes 
to expound them; we would need them not. 
Man’s inhumanity to his fellow man would be 
a thing unknown, and our lives would be that 
of peace, happiness and good will. Disputes 
would dissolve themselves into nothingness, 
and forever disappear. The doors of our 
courts would be thrown open, and their cham- 
bers become as storerooms for the over-abun- 
dance of gratitude that overflowed from our 
hearts. Our prisons and penal institutions 
would be turned into havens of rest for the 
feeble, and their walls needed to keep the 
surplus charity out, instead of the surplus of 


28 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


criminals in. Our churches could be turned 
into schools, teaching the glories of the present 
instead of the promises of the future, and 
all denominations could be melted into one, 
while peace on earth and good will toward 
all would be the only religion necessary. Then, 
and only then, could our swords be beaten into 
plow-shares, and the battle cry go unheard. 
Our word would be our honor; our honor, 
our laws. Every mortal would be his or her 
own judge, and the world would be the jury. 

Impossible? By no mean, impossible. You 
say that you are willing to try anything once, 
then loosen up on that hunk of greed that lies 
so firmly imbedded in your heart; think of 
others, as you would have them think of you ; 
do unto them, as you would have them do 
unto you ; and we will venture to say, that we 
will be so busy harvesting the blessings of 
the present, that we will have no time to 
lament over the past, or speculate on the 
future. But until we do banish that over- 
whelming greed from our nature it is wholly 
improbable, and man's inhumanity to his fel- 
low man will continue to make countless na- 
tions mourn, just so long as that character 
continues in our hearts, and we all know it. 
It's the greed for wealth, for position, for 
pomp, power and lust that forms the barrier 
that we all will have to scale before we will 
be able to say that we know what happiness 
means. The greed for wealth is the sole 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


29 


cause of destitution. Oppression is the result 
of the greed for power, and the greed for lust 
follows so closely in the footsteps of the for- 
mer two, that easy victims are found in both 
the destitute and oppressed ; while it is to 
gratify that greed that we sow the disgraceful 
vile that is shunned even by the dumb beasts, 
and propagate it into a crop of shame for 
future generations to garner. 

It is well for us to remember, that as we 
advance down the path of life that the bridges 
over which we have passed are burned be- 
hind us, and there is no such thing as retrac- 
tion. No matter what we encounter, we can’t 
turn back, as the hands of time will only 
travel in one direction, and that is ever for- 
ward. For though we find trails leading in 
all directions, each is marked by guide posts, 
hewn from the deeds of the ones that passed 
before us, and whether they lead us along 
trails lined on both sides with the smiles of 
nature, or into the briars and pit-falls of ever- 
lasting discredit, depends, to a large extent, 
upon the forethought our predecessors have 
had, as in regards for the morrow. Those 
mile posts that are strewn along the way are 
the pages in their book of life; scan them 
carefully and you will find long before you 
reach the closing chapter, that greed never 
enriched anyone, in anything that they weren’t 
glad to dispose of, long before the end. Let 
it be the greed for wealth, if you please, and 


30 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


though they may have amassed fortunes, their 
ever-grasping hand cannot clutch tightly 
enough for them to take it with them, and 
they end their career by being hidden under 
the same six feet of earth that hides the ones 
from whom it has been filched. But with 
dying breath they will try to sate their greed 
for self by begging from the Divine Power 
the charity that they themselves had so un- 
mercifully denied to others. If, by the hand 
of oppression, they have crowded themselves 
into power, it all ends by a true realization 
that the utter helplessness of man is the pre- 
dominant feature, at both ends of the journey; 
while that greed for lust that they so wan- 
tonly satisfied, has left them asking for mer- 
cies from the ones that are begging it for 
themselves. 


CHAPTER IV. 


Mrs. Wish had raised her daughters in 
strict accordance to her own views of life, 
but never had given them the chance of profit- 
ing by her own mistakes, for the reason that 
she had never been able to see for herself 
wherein any mistakes whatever had found any 
place within her ovm career, while the nearer 
others had come to pointing them out to her. 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


31 


the plainer she could see perfection in herself. 
Born in Germany, she, while yet a young 
woman, had numbered herself among the im- 
migrants to this country, and all of the ideals 
belonging to the self-worshippers were num- 
bered with her and had clung to her through- 
out. Accompanied by her parents, who, too, 
had heard the call of the West, they had 
wended their way to Minnesota, arriving in 
the good old pioneer days when the West was 
yet in the bud. Her life from childhood had 
been spent as a waitress in one of those 
hostler ies — half hotel, half saloon — and known 
the world over as a tavern. Therefore she 
had arrived with every qualification to take 
her place in any of the many hurriedly built 
hotels that were so conspicuous in the hur- 
riedly built towns of those days. 

Female help, in those days, was always in 
demand, as the male population outnumbered 
the female at about the ratio of the later 
famed sixteen to one, and, as is always true 
in that case, she found that it required but 
little effort on her part for her to have her 
full quota of suitors on hand, ones who be- 
longed to all the different walks in life and 
who had come out into the budding West to 
gain for themselves the homes that had so 
emphatically been denied to them in the over- 
crowded East, and who had brought with them 
a true realization of the fact that a home was 
nothing without a woman in it. There was 


32 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


no one that realized the advantages of that 
condition any more than that wily young 
waitress. Engagements were as common to 
her as the letters in the alphabet; as were 
also the disengagements. She took great de- 
light in shuffling the pack, draw to her hand, 
and then discard them all and call for a new 
deal. She loved to see every man carry his 
hopes to the very top-most rung in the ladder, 
then kick the ladder out from under him, and 
amuse herself by speculating which would 
alight the hardest, the man or his hopes. But 
to all things, no matter how good, there comes 
an end ; and when the wire edge began to wear 
off that joke, she found herself about as des- 
titute of the desirable suitors as she had been 
over-supplied at the first. Of course, there 
were a few that hadn’t yet been taken into 
camp, but their hopes were light, and they 
were not climbing very high with them at 
that. When, at last, a quiet, unpretentious 
German laborer fell into her net, she decided 
that half a loaf was better than no bread at 
all, and married him. 

He was an honest, hard-working man ; one 
of those kind that never ventures very far, 
for reasons based upon the grounds that if 
anything happened, it is easier to get back. 
A peaceful, quiet life was all he asked, al- 
ways too busy digging the necessary com- 
modities of life out of the virgin soil to have 
any time to dream of fortunes ; and as to 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


33 


fame, well, if it could be reached by the shovel 
route, all right ; but never would he climb very 
high for it. He was willing to take things as 
they come, and always ready to make the best 
he could of them, and about one of the first 
things to come his way was a true realization 
of the fact that he had made a very serious 
mistake, as regarded his ideas of a wedded 
life, and the more consideration he gave to 
the subject, the more pronounced and posi- 
tive was he as to the answer. But he brought 
his shovel into use and buried his hopes, re- 
signing himself to his fate; satisfied in his 
own mind that the two greatest mistakes were, 
that he hadn’t died just a little before he was 
born, or, that his very interesting frau hadn’t 
died even before that. But he had said that 
he would take her for better or for worse. 
Though now it was plainly evident that it was 
worse, he placed a value on his promises that 
was hard for him to break. It was brought 
sadly to bear upon his mind that he had much 
to learn ; that she was a born conversationalist ; 
and always able to deliver the long end of the 
conversation herself. One of her chief topics 
that she took such delight in rehearsing to him 
was of the hordes of suitors that she could 
have married had she seen fit to care for them, 
while his greatest delight was to sit quietly 
back and wish to God that she had got them 
all, instead of the one she had. 

But as the wheels of time ground slowly 


34 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


around, the aforementioned daughters came to 
bless their lot, and to him their early life 
proved a blessing for sure, as the time that 
was occupied by the mother in the care of her 
offspring subtracted just that much from the 
time that she previously had occupied on him, 
giving to him a reprieve that even in its 
slightness was a glorious event that he appre- 
ciated to the fullest. Early in their wedded 
life she had plainly and unmistakably given 
him to understand that in all matters pertain- 
ing to their family affairs the management 
would fall to her, and as she could see in 
herself only a perfect qualification as to her 
ability to fulfill the duties and responsibilities 
of such an important task, she would bear no 
interference on the part of anyone. As to that, 
he readily assented, well knowing that in his 
agreement to that subject he had all to gain 
and nothing to lose, for he well knew that 
she would have her own way as to that, as 
well as to everything else that she set her 
mind on. 

That home was ruled with an iron rod, and 
Mrs. Wish held the rod. Those girls all 
loved their father from a standpoint of pater- 
nal affection, but their love for their mother 
was from the standpoint of fear. She had 
brought them up in strict accordance to her 
own ideas of life, and in her own self conceit, 
she pictured herself as the ideal on which to 
base her standard. Over and over again had 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


35 


she recounted to them the wonderous glories 
that had sprung up in her own path of life, 
and the advantages and beauties that had 
fallen to her lot when she was young; the 
popularity that she had gained for herself, 
and the possibilities that forever lined the trail 
of a waitress, until the chief thoughts that en- 
tered their heads, as well as the chief topic 
of conversation among themselves, were of the 
ambitions that they were nursing, and all cen- 
tered on the day, when they, themselves, 
could go out into the wide, wide world and 
fill the same position that mamma had filled 
when she was young. That was the goal on 
which all their hopes were centered, to the 
extent of an almost absolute neglect as to their 
education along any other line. So, dear 
reader, if those girls did follow in the foot- 
steps of their mother, or even surpassed her, 
in their efforts to gain the questionable popu- 
larity that had been instilled into their minds 
from childhood, we have a right to be as 
lenient with them as the case will admit, for 
it only goes to prove the truthfulness of that 
old, old adage — What is breed in bone 
will not run from the marrow. Treat them 
to the full measure of sympathy from your 
hearts, for they are the ones that have been 
called to pay interest on the debts that their 
forbears had contracted and of which they 
had no control ; but had been thrust across 
their path of life, not only to bar their en- 


36 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


trance to realms of honor, but to stand as un- 
surmountable barriers in the paths of the ones 
that are yet to follow them. 


CHAPTER V. 


By no means were things panning out to 
suit the fancies of Mrs. Wish. Her two old- 
est girls had married industrious, hard-work- 
ing men, and had settled down to a peaceful 
and quiet life. Bertha had overstepped the 
bounds of her early education and, not only 
fell from grace, but had humiliated the pride 
of her mother; leaving Helen the only one of 
the four to maintain the standard that her 
mother had set her heart on, as the ideal on 
which to anchor her hopes. Bertha had 
written to her father and informed him that 
the baby had been named for him, and again 
had she begged him for his forgiveness. In 
the naming of the baby after her father she 
had touched the right chord, and set in vibra- 
tion al] of the paternal love that beats in the 
human heart, and after many stormy sessions 
with the mother Bertha was ordered to come 
hom.e and bring the baby with her. The 
home-coming of Bertha was as much dreaded 
by herself as by her mother, for she well 
realized that she would not only be comipelled 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


37 


to meet the harsh rebukes of her mother, but 
she again would be brought face to face with 
her old-time playmates and companions, and 
she, now, in disgrace. She had been gone 
from home nearly a year, so after talking the 
matter over with her kind-hearted benefactor, 
she was advised that as the ordeal had to 
be passed at some time it was better for her 
to go. And no sooner had the babe been 
placed in the arms of her father, than two 
hearts were united, in a way, stronger than 
ever before. Her father, in his true char- 
acteristic way, told her that what had already 
happened were now things of the past, and 
they were all to try and make the best of 
everything. She was to find employment 
nearby their home, and together, the wants 
of the little one would be cared for. Matters 
were talked over, and it was decided that the 
child was to be reared up in a profound ignor- 
ance of his true birth and to be kept under 
the false impression that its real mother was 
a sister. And while Bertha could have the 
privilege of helping provide for its support, 
as well as to visit it as often as she desired, 
she was to say or do nothing that would lead 
it or anyone to assume that her rights to it 
were any other than a sister. In spite of the 
lie that it was born under; in spite of the lie 
that hovered over its head ; and in spite of the 
lie that was to compose its early education, it 
grew into a bright and lovely child, as hand- 
some at heart as it was in face. 


38 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


We don’t have to drift out very far on the 
Sea of Life before we become well aware of 
the fact that there is such a thing as an imi- 
tation love; and there was no one more able, 
or more qualified, to demonstrate its uses and 
mis-uses than Mrs. Wish and her daughters. 
But, dear reader, with all of their qualifica- 
tions, and with all of their experience, they 
could not decide upon their very own flesh 
and blood as the base upon which to smear 
their well learned craft. In Bertha’s heart 
there beat the instinct of a true mother’s love, 
and it was answered by that of a mother’s 
own child. There was something in Bertha’s 
home-coming that meant more to that child 
than a mere visit , there was something in her 
kiss that meant more to him than the kiss of 
the others; and there was something in their 
parting that caused his little arms to encircle 
her neck, and hug her tighter. But as to what 
it was — only nature’s own method of reveal- 
ing to him what that curtain of ignorance had 
so blissfully hidden behind it. 

But narrow as were his little views of life, 
he could notice that there was a vast differ- 
ence in their own home life than in the home 
of his little friends and playmates which lay 
just opposite their own home, and across the 
roadway, where he spent many hours at play. 
And next in his little heart came Elsie, the 
oldest daughter of their neighbors. In looks 
she and Bertha bore a great resemblance, but 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


39 


in all else they were different. Though she, 
too, was of German parentage, Elsie was an 
American, both by birth and by nature. 
Cheerful, happy, loving little Elsie is what 
everybody knew her by, except Mrs. Wish, 
and their hatred for each other was mutual. 
Elsie was the thorn that pierced the side of 
Mrs. Wish, for long since had she learned 
that after her own daughters had spent a few 
hours in company with Elsie that many of the 
lessons that she had taken such pains to in- 
still into their minds had been distilled out in 
a remarkably short time by that honest little 
girl, and their places always filled with some- 
thing of a more honorable character. She 
belonged to an industrious and thrifty family, 
and though it was not necessary that she 
should work out, she did so in order to learn 
ways other than what was practiced in her own 
home, as well as to learn to speak the English 
language; for in her home, as in all German 
homes of that settlement, nothing but the Ger- 
man tongue was used, and had it not been 
for the few strangers that happened along that 
way, those youngsters would not have known 
that there was any other tongue to use. But 
Elsie was a pocket edition of progress itself ; 
and hardly had she learned a dozen words of 
the English language from the family with 
whom she lived when she asked her mistress 
to kindly discard the German tongue, as in 
regards to her, for as she said, ‘That she 


40 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


neffer wool learn by der English if she haff 
to speek Gherman already yet.” It tore her 
to the heart to realize that the very land that 
had given her a birthright, given her her daily 
bread ever since, and was now giving her 
the hopes that she so cherished, that both its 
customs and language were foreign to her. 
She could never bring herself to understand 
why her parents, as well as the rest of the 
mothers and fathers of the settlement, had 
been glad to leave the oppression and hard- 
ships of the old world in the hopes that they 
could find freedom that they so sought in the 
new, yet they would cling to some of the 
very principles that had worked such havoc 
with them in their former home across the 
sea, as though it was some sort of a sacrilege 
to discard them and search out newer ideals 
that were better adapted to a newer world. 
She was broad-minded enough to know if the 
conditions were not changed by the generation 
that had arrived on earth after their forbears 
had arrived in America, that they might as 
well have remained where they came from. 

instead of working up the opportunities 
that lay before them into something new, they 
ere simply using them to prolong the con- 
ditions that had faced them thoughout their 
lives. She was quick to learn and always 
ready to grasp every opportunity to familiar- 
ize herself with the American ideas and Amer- 
ican ideals, in hopes that if she was able to 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


41 


instill some of those new ideas into the 
younger members of her family, that in time 
the older ones would be forced to abandon 
some of the old customs that had crossed in 
the same ship as they. It was as hard a job 
as the old saying about learning an old dog 
new tricks, but it was the hard jobs that Elsie 
was looking for. She carried those ideas into 
their home, and, much to the interest and de- 
light of the youngsters, as well as to the dis- 
gust of the older ones, it could be plainly 
seen that a new and brighter light was dawn- 
ing upon their home life. The people with 
whom she lived loved her as though she was 
their very own, as did every one that knew 
her, and she was so earnest and pure in all 
of her endeavors that many grew to know 
her, and many an article that as yet was of 
too much value to destroy found its way to 
Elsie, and by her it was carefully stored away 
for future reference. 

The old house that had been her birthplace 
and had furnished shelter for them all through 
childhood was now, though spotlessly clean, 
in a very dilapidated condition and danger- 
ously tottering under the weight of age, while 
plans for three successive years had been 
formulated for gathering the nieghboring far- 
mers together when the busy season was past 
for the purpose of building a new one. But 
to those plodding farmers the busy season 
never passed, and the result was that the old 


42 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


one, though it long since had outlived its 
usefulness was now in danger of collapse, 
still was the place they called their home. 
Then Elsie sprung something that was the 
talk of the settlement. On one of her monthly 
home-comings she had carried with her a 
lengthy roll of paper, that, when spread out, 
revealed to their eyes the cut of a neat and 
commodious farmhouse, as well as on some 
separate sheets, accurately traced on a blue 
background, the plans and size of every room 
in it and a true statement as to the material 
to be used, the time required, and the precise 
cost of the whole job when completed. That 
was the straw that broke the camel's back, 
for her father figured that if she was capable 
of learning that she was just as capable of 
greater things, and he not only gave his con- 
sent for her to go ahead, but he even con- 
sented to have it built, facing the street. It 
was a busy summer for Elsie. Ground was 
soon broken and work commenced. She felt 
the full weight of the responsibility that she 
had burdened herself with, and determined 
to make good. Her visits to her home now 
were weekly instead of monthly, but her 
watchful eye was not needed, for every man 
that drove a nail into that house drove it for 
Elsie, and that was enough. Today, in spite 
of the doubts of the timid neighbors, in spite 
of the sneers of Mrs. Wish, that house stands 
as a book-mark, designating at least one of 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


43 


her noble deeds that is written in her Pages 
of Life. Standing out in cold contrast to those 
of the daughters of Mrs. Wish are the achieve- 
ments of Elsie ; which brings to the surface 
the unvarnished truth that it’s the bleakness 
of every winter that makes spring a welcome 
guest. Were it not for dismal shadows, glad- 
ening rays would go unblessed. 

Elsie longed for an education; but not the 
kind that was to be gained in her home lo- 
cality, for though the little school that graced 
the settlement was, to some extent, supported 
by the state, it was left to a local school board 
to supply the teachers, and as could be ex- 
pected from a German school board, nothing 
but German teachers were hired, while the 
ones that could bring with them the greatest 
amount of German sentiments were the ones 
that were chosen. The little education that 
she did possess had been gleaned from one 
that truly could be called a German country 
school. It was in that school that she had 
learned just what a wonderful country Ger- 
many was, but she did not learn the exact 
cause as to why so many of the inhabitants 
of that glorious and oft-mentioned place had 
worked so hard, and so long, to gather to- 
gether enough capital to move them and their 
families away from there. It was there that 
she learned that the earth revolved on its 
axis in strict accordance to the powerful will 
of the Emperor of Germany, but she never 


44 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


learned why the brighter side never rolled 
toward poor and struggling masses. She 
learned that the control the Emperor held 
over the remaining world was second only 
to that of the Divine Power itself, but she 
never learned why that power was never 
used to make conditions so that her people 
were not as glad to remain at home as they 
were to leave. She learned German history 
offhand, or, that is, so far as Germany wished 
her to learn, but as to the country that was 
now providing for them their daily bread, she 
learned but little. George Washington might 
have been President of the United States or 
he might have been postmaster of St. Paul — 
it mattered little to them, so long as they were 
able to name the Hohenzollern regime from 
start to finish. Her good sense told her that 
the place to find out the truth of all this was 
the outside world. As was said, she was 
quick to learn, as she was quick at every- 
thing, and it required but a short space of 
time to learn that outside of the settlement 
people were different. She learned that in- 
stead of the mistrust that her own people 
held for the Americans, that the Americans 
were gladly willing to extend a welcoming 
hand to them and to aid them in every way 
that would add to their comfort, as well as to 
their independence. She could see there was 
an air of freedom in their every action, de- 
noting that if anyone had any ideas that 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


45 


would work for the betterment of themselves, 
or anyone else, they were at liberty to put 
them in action, and that every action meant a 
step forward in the line of progress. She 
could notice that though many of the ones 
she classed as Americans were of for- 
eign descent, they had abandoned their for- 
eign ways and had adopted ways of their own. 
She heard something else than the German 
tongue, and she heard something else than 
of Germany; and she not only profited by 
what she herself had both seen and heard, but 
she carried the benefits back to the settlement 
with her, and though it added greatly to the 
envy of Mrs. Wish, it added noticeably more 
to everybody’s love for Elsie. 


CHAPTER VI. 


Not very far from the north coast of Ger- 
many, quietly snuggling among the fertile 
hills, lies the little town of Danzig. A quiet, 
unassuming place, with no other pretentions 
than that of furnishing homes for a grist of 
land owners, or the sons of such, who wanted 
to be close at hand or where they could be on 
the spot to exact their toll from the ones that 
tilled their acres. Those people were the ones 
that neither wove nor spun, but they took 


46 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


great pride in seeing to it that their tenants 
did both. The greater part of the population 
was made up of young men that belonged to 
well-to-do families, and who weren’t very 
much inclined to add anything of a creditable 
nature to their family name ; so had been sent 
out from the cities to gain their livelihood 
from the lands that were owned by their 
parents, as well as to get them out of their 
presence. 

Most of the younger set had for their homes 
taverns and club houses, while the population 
that done their bidding lived in the little 
homes that were scattered along the drives, 
regardless of any pretence of either comfort 
or beauty. One of the most industrious of the 
servant class was a hard working blacksmith 
named Rhode. He lived with his wife in one 
of those little rented cottages and derived his 
income from horseshoeing, as well as the gen- 
eral line of repair work that was brought to 
him from the farms. He was a peaceful and 
thrifty workman. The only thing that he 
loved better than his home was the kind and 
loving wife that graced its homely shelter. 
But the one thing that stood out against them 
was that their humble little home was child- 
less. But to make up for the opportunity that 
was denied them, in planning hopes for a 
future generation, they occupied their time in 
building hopes for themselves ; and those 
hopes were, that at no great distance off the 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


47 


time would arrive when they both would set 
sail for America. They had heard of the 
freedom that was to be found across the sea, 
and longed for a taste of it. They skimped 
and saved, till now the time was within a year 
when they could search out their coveted goal. 
Evenings were spent scanning the maps and 
descriptive circulars pertaining to the new 
world, and hours would be spent in picturing 
and planning for their future. Late one 
evening, after they had just finished that 
pastime, and before retiring for the night, a 
noise was heard by both, as though their front 
door had been carefully opened and as care- 
fully closed again. Mrs. Rhode opened the 
door leading from the dining room into the 
little hallway, but seeing nothing unusual, re- 
marked that she thought she had heard the 
door open, but that she must have been mis- 
taken or that dogs were prowling about the 
porch; and dismissing the subject, they re- 
tired. But before the peaceful slumbers had 
overtaken them, they were both brought to 
their feet, and out of bed, by the gentle cry 
of a baby. They hurriedly lit a lamp and 
rushed to the hallway, from whence the cry 
had been heard, and there, neatly stowed away 
in a small clothesbasket and warmly wrapped 
in soft, clean blankets, together with a com- 
plete outfit of baby wearing apparel, was a 
fine looking baby boy, just beginning to tell 
the effects of the evening chill. 


48 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


It is needless to say that the child was soon 
clasped in kindly arms, and its little wants 
were seen to, before they began to ask them- 
selves what it all meant ; and as the hour was 
late, they decided to care for the little fellow 
till morning, before trying to get any infor- 
mation in regards to it, or from where it 
came, or why it should be left with them. 

The morrow came, passed, as did weeks and 
months, and still not a vestige of a trace as 
to its identity. The matter had been placed 
in the hands of the officers, but without re- 
sults. One trail after another was run down 
only to terminate at the place they had 
started, and no mother could be found. Its 
clothes were markless, and nothing about them 
would point any way toward a discovery, ex- 
cept that on. a neatly embroidered handker- 
chief, on the border of which, marked in ink, 
and dimly faded, were the figures 693, as 
though written with a pen. That was the only 
clue upon which to work, and as plainly could 
be seen, the officers were not very much in- 
clined to exert themselves in their endeavors 
to solve the mystery, for they all had the good 
sense to see that the child had fallen into the 
best of hands, as well as the noticeable evi- 
dence that buried deeply in the hearts of that 
honest ‘‘smithy’’ and his lovely wife were 
hopes that the rightful owner never would be 
found. 

Neighbors called to see it, but the only light 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


49 


that they could shed on the subject was the 
remark, as they winked at one another, that 
whoever it did belong to used very good judg- 
ment as to where to leave it; and they all 
were well satisfied that it was a very lucky 
child. But it was not till after the courts 
were applied to, and the child turned over 
to them, did that happy couple feel in their 
own hearts that it was them that the luck had 
fallen to, and they proved their thankfulness 
by the loving attention that was showered 
upon that blessed little boy. 

Other plans now than that of their move 
to America occupied their attention, for 
< hough they did not intend to abandon the 
journey, another had to be figured in on the 
deal ; and it meant that it would require a 
little more capital than was planned at first, 
and the foster mother decided that she was 
amply able to provide the extra amount, and 
with a hearty good will, by doing some light 
laundry work for some of those idle sons of 
the idle rich that always infested the place. 
The satisfaction that she gave in that line of 
pursuit was so greatly appreciated that long 
before they were ready to make the eventful 
move her purse was swelled with far more 
than the requirements. On many of the ar- 
ticles of clothing that fell to her hands she 
had noticed that they had bore figures, such 
as those as were on the handkerchief that 
had been left with the baby, and she quietly. 


59 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


and without suspicion, had inquired as to 
what they meant. After getting the needed 
information, she put a little silver in the way 
of the bookkeeper at the laundry, who in- 
formed her that the records of the past bore 
witness that the owner of the work that had 
been done by them, and whose register num- 
ber was 693, was a young woman who had 
worked as a waitress in the little tavern, but 
who had left there months ago, and it was 
understood that she, together with her par- 
ents, had emigrated to America. That her 
name was Anna Bortle, and that at the laun- 
dry the records showed that her work had 
been delivered to the address she bore for the 
past two years, and up till the time she had 
left for America. 

On the basis that what a person did not 
know never would hurt them, the ‘'smithy'’ 
and his wife cared to learn no more. They 
dropped the idea of searching for a mother 
for their boy, fully realizing that a mother 
that was so deficient in maternal love as to 
desert her offspring in a manner that the low- 
est of dumb beasts could never be accused of, 
they decided that the farther they could come 
from knowing anything more about her, the 
better it would be for all concerned. They 
loved the child like he was their very own, 
and that was enough. He would bear the 
name of his foster father and, as they were 
about to leave the scenes of the event, taking 


THE PAGE'S OF LIFE 


51 


him into a new world amongst strangers, there 
was nothing to prevent them from keeping 
him in profound ignorance as to anything but 
that they were his actual parents. In time 
they made the start, and in time they arrived 
in New York. From there, after a brief rest, 
they drifted into Michigan, where the head 
of the little family found employment at his 
trade, and there they lived till the child had 
grown into a bright, healthy and rosy-cheeked 
little lad of seven, when they heard the call 
of the West and could not content themselves 
till they found themselves comfortably lo- 
cated on the vast cattle ranges of Montana. 

They possessed themselves of a few head 
of stock, and with the profits ^derived from 
that source, together with the amount that he 
could earn at his trade, they were soon in 
very comfortable circumstances, when the 
rush of hungry land-seekers struck the West, 
and the rolling plains, that had only been 
populated by the roaming herds, was now 
divided oil into farms and populated with 
humanity. They secured a title to their parcel 
of homestead land and moved into one of the 
many new homes that were springing up at 
random, for the sole purpose of getting their 
boy to school and giving him a start toward 
an education. He was a dutiful and adept pupil, 
as well as a dutiful son, and in time he was 
completing his courses in Mechanical Engin- 
eering. He was a good draughtsman and his 


52 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


services were sought for, often taking him to 
distant cities. He had a happy way of falling 
in with the line of progress, and was continu- 
ally striving to work himself up toward the 
head of the line; and his endeavors were the 
pride of his parents. As yet he had thought 
of no other love than that of the ones that 
had taken such pride and pains in his wel- 
fare, and as yet, he knew of no other parents 
than them ; but the time always comes to 
everybody when the shell must break, and 
whether or not his heart would overflow with 
a sense of gratitude toward the ones that had 
been so kind to him, and had been so careful 
in keeping him enshrouded in that mantle of 
ignorance that had preserved to him all of the 
happiness that one of their very own kin 
would be entitled to, or whether or not it 
would be filled with hatred toward the very 
ones that had kept the truth screened back 
from his knowledge, was yet to be learned. 
And though his very start in life was plainly 
due to the unwarranted and reckless disre- 
gard others had for the morrow, as yet it 
was of no concern to him, for that misfortune 
had only thrown him into the kindly care and 
thoughtful guidance of the ones that had be- 
stowed on him everything that his own kin 
had denied, even to the truth as to his actual 
birth, which was the only thing that was owed 
to them. 

He had grown up in the pure and healthful 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


53 


atmosphere of the West, and under the pure 
and honest care of ones that had given to him 
all that he possessed; and that was all of the 
qualifications that go to make a man in every 
sense of the word, and who now were gaining 
their reward in a true appreciation of that 
fact. But, as yet, his paths in life had been 
all of roses. He must now tread 'mongst the 
thorns. He must be made to taste the bitter 
to lend a value to the sweet. 


CHAPTER VII. 


The little country town that formed the 
business center for the settlement lay but a 
few miles from the home of the Wish family, 
and was an exact duplicate of the ones that 
had been the dwelling places of the majority 
of those old-fashioned settlers since the day 
that they had drawn their first breath of Ger- 
man air, and that lay across the sea. So far 
as an outsider could observe, it was a typical 
German town. One could stroll along the 
principal streets and gain for himself a very 
good idea as to just what it would feel like 
to be unceremoniously dropped down in one 
of the agricultural districts of Germany. He 
could both hear and see everything that was 
to be seen in the smaller centers of Germany, 


54 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


except, perhaps, the wooden shoes, and it was 
thought that they had been discarded because 
of the noise they created, that had a tendency 
to disturb the tranquility of the place as their 
wearers tread the narrow walks, more than 
from any notion of modern progress or com- 
fort, The German language is what you 
would hear upon the streets, and no other. 
The lines pf trade that were represented were 
in the German style, and no other. The little 
newspaper that bore the records of the week's 
doings was printed in German, as well as the 
signs that you read above the doors of the 
business places. One merchant's sign blazed 
forth the information to the world that it was 
there that grandpa used to deal, — ^^and to judge 
by the appearance of the place, his grandpa 
had dealt there, too. Progress was unknown 
to those people, and whatever was unknown 
to them was not wanted; for their idea of 
modern and up-to-date methods were that the 
candle was being burned at both ends — inas- 
much as that modern improvements cost 
money in the beginning, while it increased the 
value of their property to such an extent that 
their taxes were increased as well. 

Two hotels graced the place, and in strict 
accordance and harmony with the town — old- 
fashioned frame buildings that belonged to an 
architectural era of about eighty years ago. 
The proprietor, a man of about fifty years or 
so, dressed in a uniform consisting of over- 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


55 


alls, colored shirt and a pair of extremely 
flat-soled shoes, and who acted in the capacity 
of bell-boy, as well as general roust-about, 
would have been taken for a farm hand in 
nine cases out of ten, had he been seen out- 
side of his own place of business, was the man 
who met John at the train, and, after inquir- 
ing in broken English, “If he want ter go mid 
der Hotel, inside?’’ loaded his grips in a hand 
cart and told him to come mit him. 

John’s services had been secured by a large 
manufacturing company in the cities, who 
owned and operated a small foundry and ma- 
chine shop in this little German town, and 
who had sent him out there to supervise the 
technical problems that were proving them- 
selves a little too deep for the ordinary class 
of workmen that was on hand. So after siz- 
ing up the situation, and deciding that it would 
take months to get things straightened out in 
anything near a workable condition, he cast 
bout for a place that he might call home, 
while his duties kept him there, and after a 
casual stroll over the town decided that his 
home may as well be with the old German 
hotel keeper as with any other, and there 
made arrangements to stay. Quaint as the 
place was, it was home-like and clean. Their 
bill of fare was in accordance to their sur- 
roundings, and consisted of what the country 
’^"oduced. Two neat-looking waitresses had 
charge of the dining room, and the one that 


56 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


his care had fallen to was a comely German 
lady of about twenty-five or six. She was 
kind, obliging, and attentive to her duties, and 
in but a short while a very cordial friendship 
had sprung up between them. He liked her 
company, as she appeared to like his, and as 
time went by oftimes he would find himself 
lingering at the table after the other guests 
had left the room, for the delay always lent 
an opportunity for a pleasant little chat. And 
pleasant it was, for though he himself was 
of German birth, he found it greatly to his 
liking to have some one near at hand that 
could, and would, speak other than the Ger- 
man tongue. 

He loved to tell her of Montana ; its rough, 
but honest, customs; its rough, but honest, 
people; where its laws were made to comply 
with justice, and penalties to comply with the 
laws. He told her of the ruggedness of its 
mountains, the beauties of its valleys, the 
vastness of its plains ; and in turn, she would 
recount to him the happenings of her own 
limited surroundings — the settlement. She 
had been born there, all her life had 
lived there. She told of her joys, but not her 
sorrows ; while there was something awak- 
ing in his breast that was new and strange to 
him. He oftimes found himself peering forth 
into the future, and in every picture that came 
before his fancies’ view, his little friend was 
foremost in it ; while letters home to his lov- 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


57 


ing parents, who as yet were out on those 
western plains that he loved so well to tell of, 
told them, between the lines, that ere long 
they would be called on to divide with an- 
other that which they had possessed alone. 

Time went fleeting by, his work at the 
foundry had progressed, and the months had 
fled only too quickly for him. Spring had 
come and was now reaching out toward sum- 
mer. The time was now drawing near when 
they must part. He knew now that he loved 
her, and he knew that his love was true and 
honest. He had been raised by honest people, 
in pure and honest surroundings; he judged 
others by himself. But had he been a judge 
of human nature, as good as he was of him- 
self, he could have read in the bland spiile 
that appeared over the features of old-time 
hotel guests something that was half akin to 
pity, as they cast glances toward each other 
when he was seen in company with his choice ; 
he could have read volumes behind those 
smiles, that, if condensed down to two words, 
those two words would have been pronounced 
— “Another Victim.” For that coy and cun- 
ning friend was no other than Helen. One 
by one the tentacles of that human octopus 
had again reached out and encircled an honest 
heart, while every rapturous impulse that 
beat forth from a true and honest love only 
went to secure her grip the firmer. 

The services of John Rhode were always 
in demand, and the call had come from his 


58 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


employers that he was to make ready to hie 
himself out into the vast wheat fields of North 
Dakota and lend his services in compliance to 
the wishes of his company, who had extensive 
interests there, in the line of agricultural im- 
plements. After completing his tasks at the 
little foundry, he prepared for the move. It 
was his last meal at the old hotel and he was 
slowly dragging through the courses, for he 
wanted to have a few last words with Helen. 
The other guests had all left the dining room 
when she seated herself beside him, for their 
last little farewell chat. It was a hard job 
for him to prevent himself from speaking the 
words that would come from his heart, but 
he felt that as yet he was not justified in do- 
ing so. He was sure of his love for her, but 
could he be as sure of hers? As that prob- 
lem was tumbling over itself in his mind, she 
asked him to be sure and write to her so that 
she could know how everything was going 
with him, until they would meet again. It 
was then and there it dawned upon his hun- 
gry soul that still another cared for him. He 
took her hand in their farewell grasp, and 
with a light and hopeful heart he took his 
departure. 

The world looked different to him now, 
there was a foundation for a future; while 
he pictured to himself the bright and happy 
side of that future, as all other lovers do. 
He built his castles in the air, as all others. 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


59 


and propped them up with good, honest labor. 
His thoughts were for her, his plans were for 
her, his heart was for her, and no other. He 
settled down in his new location and their 
correspondence started, friendly at first, but 
soon warming into the passionate lines as that 
of a world of lovers. God ! had he but known 
of the dagger that was being prepared to 
slowly pierce his heart. Had he but known 
of the troubled days and sleepless nights that 
was to fall to his lot. Had he but known of 
the treachery that was to issue from a cal- 
loused heart, to mingle with the love from 
an honest one, then he would have known 
what was meant when it was written that the 
sins of the father be visited upon the child, 
and the sins of the mother as well. 

To be sure, their correspondence was a 
happy affair. True and loving epistles went 
to her, she knew they were true; false ones 
returned to him, he knew not that they were 
false. The summer months wore away; he 
wrote and told her it was his intention to 
spend the winter months in his old home, in 
Montana, that as he had not seen his parents 
for over a year, he longed to be with them; 
that when the springtime came again he 
would come and see her; and in the mean- 
time, she was not to forget that his love for 
her was complete, and as true as God could 
make it. She was to write as often as con- 
venient, enjoy herself, and be happy till the 


60 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

time would arrive when he could tell her of 
something that he thought lay within his 
power, if she would consent, that would banish 
everything but happiness from their lives. 

The winter came. His work completed, he 
made the journey to his home. He loved to 
tell his mother of the quaint old-fashioned 
German town ; the quaint old-fashioned hotel ; 
the quaint old-fashioned people; but best of 
all, of the little German woman who had won 
his love. The hands of time were slowly, but 
steadily, rolling around and spring was draw- 
ing near when he received a letter from Helen, 
stating that she was leaving the old hotel and 
was going to the cities, where she thought she 
would receive a better remuneration for her 
services, as well as to have a better time, for, 
as she said, her life was a lonely one. He an- 
swered it as soon as possible, and told her to 
cheer up and not let herself get into those 
melancholy moods, and that in May his busi- 
ness was calling him to the cities, when he 
would call and see her. 

May came, as did a letter from her, stating 
that she had found employment in a novelty 
factory, and that she longed to see him. She 
gave him the address as to where she could 
be found. Oh how lonely, she said, even 
though there are hundreds working here, all 
are strangers to me, and every day seems like 
a week. You will make a safe guess, dear 
reader, when you say that John lost no time 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


61 


in answering that letter, and as soon as was 
planned, he bid his loving parents good-bye 
and was on his way. 

Arriving in the Twin Cities, he lost no time 
in locating the factory in which she was em- 
ployed, and while enquiring of the time-keeper 
as to where she might be found, she had 
caught sight of him and came to greet him. 
It was the noon hour, so arrangements were 
soon made for him to meet her at the close 
of the working day, then she would be at 
liberty to have a visit with him. It is needless 
to say that he was on the spot at the stated 
time, and as her boarding house was about 
four miles distant, v/ith good walks all the 
way, they decided that no better opportunity 
would present itself for a visit together than 
for them to walk to her home. 

That walk was a most eventful one, for it 
was there that the web was woven that later 
was to entangle her very own flesh and blood 
in the treacherous meshes of perfidy. It was 
there that two tests were made, one was to 
test the strength of truth ; the other, the fickle- 
ness of falsehood. Thread by thread and with 
a hungry greed, the web is woven that is des- 
tined to ensnare the weaver in its very own 
meshes and verify the fact that the sins of the 
parents are, and always have been, visited 
upon the child. For what is bred in the bone 
will not run from the marrow. 


62 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


CHAPTER VIII. 


That walk, as we said, was an eventful one, 
for it afforded to John Rhode the opportunity 
to do something that he had never done be- 
fore. As they strolled along the quiet thor- 
oughfares, away from the busy hustle of the 
business streets, he told of the love that beat 
in his heart for her. He told of the happi- 
ness that he had planned, and that he had 
figured her in along with the plans. He told 
her that he wanted her to be his loving wife 
and asked if she would give her consent, to 
put her hand in his, while the two would 
stroll life’s pathway together. The answer 
was ready for him. She said that although she 
would not say no, that she had determined to 
wait awhile, for, as she said, ‘T have been 
married once, and my life has been but a life 
of trouble.” '‘Yes,” she said, "even worse 
than death, for I was married to a criminal. 
He is now in prison serving a sentence, and 
though I have been legally separated from 
him, he has sworn that if he ever finds me 
living with another, my life will be cut 
short, and as yet I cannot feel myself justi- 
fied in bringing my troubles upon others. I 
am not in fear of my own life, John, but why 
should you be made to bear my burdens ? 


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63 


No, John,’’ she said, ''not yet. Maybe some 
day ’ere long, a kind providence will step 
in and clear me from him entirely. I can yet 
care for myself, and as time wears away I 
have hopes that the memories of the past will 
wear from my mind and things look a little 
clearer to me. As to my caring for you, there 
is no doubt, but I feel that I must wait. As 
to how long, I cannot say, but I would like 
to wait until I am thirty.” 

It was a sad, sad story, told in a sad, sad 
way, and the results were as usual. John now 
not only loved her for herself, but he loved 
her for her sorrows. His resolves now were 
made, as he told her that she could ever count 
on him for a friend. She said that she would, 
and that she had hopes that their correspond- 
ence would be maintained, if for no other 
reason than that of friendship. "Maybe some 
day, John,” she remarked, "things will look 
different, but not now ; for the past is yet too 
fresh in my memory.” 

Is there a man on God’s green earth that 
could resist such an appeal as that? If there 
is, he is not quite human ; he lacks the funda- 
mental principles that divides humanity from 
the lower kingdom. We are told that Adam 
could not, or did not, resist it, and the result, 
the very first sin was brought into the world. 
The fabulous strength of Samson was too 
weak to resist the treacherous overtures of 
Delilah; Cleopatra humbled an empire by the 


64 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

influence she held over Mark Antony; while 
the sprinkling throughout modern history 
only goes to show that history will repeat it- 
self, but, even then, we are thankful that we 
are still able to prove that as yet we are hu- 
man, and John Rhode was just as human as 
any. Had he been less sincere and less hon- 
est in his regards for her, he probably could 
have detected a twinkle of mischief in her 
blue eyes, or an inkling or deceit in the bland 
smile that graced her features, but John 
Rhode was honest in all of his intentions and 
in all of his purposes, and judged others by 
himself. While she, taking advantage of the 
blindness of love in him, had an easy victim ; 
and the progress that she was making was 
entirely to her satisfaction. 

Their visit terminated, he hied himself back 
to his duties in the West. It had been a 
pleasant visit to him, for though he had not 
gained that which he had hoped for, a 
stronger love had been built up in his heart 
while he thought that the only thing left for 
him to do was to bide the time and wait till 
the pangs of sorrow had escaped her heart ; 
then, as she had said, she probably could take 
a look at the brighter side of life, and they 
could hope for better. He determined, as 
he told her, taking her hand in their farewell 
grasp, that if he could not be her lover he 
would prove to her that in him she would 
find a friend such as she had never had be- 


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65 


fore. He asked her to be punctual in her 
correspondence and if at any time he could 
be of any service or help to her in any way, 
that he would feel hurt if she neglected to let 
him know of it and give him a chance to help 
her; and to all this she had cheerfully as- 
sented. 

Arriving at his home, he lost no time in 
sending a few lines back to her, telling her 
of the pleasures of the visit and of the hopes 
that would ever linger in his heart. In a few 
days he received a kind and loving letter 
from her. She stated that she had left the 
factory as she had found that she could not 
makes her hands compete with the more 
skilled ones, and, as a result, she was out of 
a position and nearly out of money as well. 
John knew what it meant to a country girl 
to be in a strange city, both out of money and 
employment. So do you, dear reader, and 
if you had a friend, even though she did not 
mean as much to you as Helen did to him, 
you would have done just as he did, — you 
would have sent her all of the encouraging 
words that was at your command, and, per- 
haps, you would have sent her a little money. 

It was a busy season for John, but the 
regularity of their correspondence went to 
break the monotony of his labors. Only one 
complaint came from her, that one was of 
the loneliness of her life. He told her of the 
hopes that beat in his breast, that the day was 


66 


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at no great distance off when he could re- 
lieve her of that burden. All summer long 
he had been kind to her, and she returned to 
him letters filled to the last line with her 
thankfulness ; everything appeared to be all 
that could be desired. 

The summer gone, his work completed, he 
decided to visit her again before returning 
to his home and people. He now found her 
employed in a large family hotel in the city, 
and as she had afternoons off, as well as the 
evenings, from eight, they had a very enjoy- 
able time. She told him that she liked the 
place, as the work there just suited her. 
‘'Why then, Helen,” he asked, “do you get 
so lonely?” “Oh,” she replied," I don’t knovj 
just why it is, unless it is for my little brother. 
He comes from home to see me quite often 
and then everything seems so much brighter. 
But after he has gone I fall back in those 
melancholy moods, and I long to be with him. 
He is such a dear little fellow, and he gets just 
as lonely for me as I for him, and the only 
times that we can both say that we are really 
happy is when we are together.” John’s eyes 
turned to hers, and he noticed that they were 
filled with tears. Right now, he told himself 
I have made a discovery. That little brother 
is none other than her own child. 

John returned to his home, and one of his 
first duties was to write to Helen. He told 
her that he believed that the story she had 


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67 


told him of the little brother came from no 
other than a mother’s lips. ‘Hf that is the 
facts,” said he, am going to love that child 
like I love you.” Said he, "'If you will not 
tell me, Helen, I will find out from other 
sources, for I am determined to get acquainted 
with that little lad and make him love me.” 
To that she never denied or affirmed his sus- 
picions, so it was left to him to find out for 
himself, in the best way that he could. He 
wrote a kind and loving letter and addressed 
it to the child. He had never heard the child’s 
name, but as Helen’s father’s name was Wish 
he assumed that it was also the boy’s name 
as well. He took the chance and won, for in 
a few days a reply came from Helen’s mother 
acknowledging the receipt of the letter, and 
thanking him for it as well. On a picture 
postal was the photo of a healthy looking little 
lad of about three, standing on a chair, that 
looked as near like Helen as one could. Mrs. 
Wish said that he now was four years old, 
and was a fine, healthy boy. “We all love 
him,” she wrote, “and we are raising him up 
as if he was our very own. He calls me mama 
and Mr. Wish, papa, and he don't know but 
that Helen is his sister. We are teaching 
him to pray, and we hope to bring him up in 
such a way that he will make a good and 
useful man.” And, she said, “We are so 
thankful to 3^011 for the kindly interest you are 
showing in him, and maybe, some day, we 


68 


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can repay you. We are poor people and gain 
our livelihood from a few acres of garden, 
with what help we get from the girls. We 
have a few cows and pigs, and lots of chick- 
ens. One of Freddie’s greatest delights is to 
help feed the chickens.” ‘‘We hope, too,” 
she said, “that you will find it convenient to 

write us often, for we all love to read your 

letters.” 

That was a new opening for John, and he 
saw to it that their correspondence was not 
neglected. He wrote to Helen and told her 
what he had done, and the success that he 

had met with. He told her that he thought 

she had a lovely mother, while that little boy 
of hers, from now on, was to be at least his 
very best friend. “Your mother says,” he 
wrote, “that they are going to try to make a 
good man of him, and in that I am going to 
try to help her.” “While I felt sure,” he 
said, “that your mother would need none of 

V help to bring to her the desired results, 
it will not hurt me in the least to lend a help- 
ing hand toward keeping the little fellow 
happy.” To that end he did lend a helping 
hand, and in a short time little childish let- 
ters were coming back to him, thanking him 
for the little seasonable pr«esents that had 
found their way to the little boy ; also stating 
the fact that the child had adopted him as his 
Uncle John. One of the letters that he re- 
ceived, that perported to come from the little 


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69 


child, told him of the lots of love and kisses 
that he was sending, ‘‘For,’’ said he, “you 
• e my loving Uncle John, and I do love you.” 

That was a happy event in John’s life, for 
the love that sprang up and existed between 
him and the little lad was something close 
to kinship. He told Helen, in a letter, that 
whether they ever married or not, he now 
had a claim on her boy anyway, and that the 
boy appeared to have one on him as well. 
“For,” said he, “he has adopted me as his 
Uncle John, while I call him ‘my little man.’ ” 

He had noticed that though the letters from 
Helen’s mother and the child came as regular 
as could be expected, there was a decided 
diminishment as to the letters from Helen. 
He enquired as to the cause of it, and though, 
in time, he got a reply to the letter, he re- 
ceived none to his question ; but he dismissed 
that subject from his thoughts, on the grounds 
that she probably was just a little too busy, 
knowing full well that there comes times to 
the servants of men when their time can’t be 
called their own, except in the hours of sleep. 
So if she could not provide an excuse for 
herself, he was willing to provide one for 
her. No news, he would say, is always bet- 
ter than bad news, and there can’t be any- 
thing very seriously wrong or her mother 
would mention it in her letters. 

But there was something brewing that he 
knew not of. A letter came to him addresesd 


70 


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in an unfamiliar hand, that, when opened to 
view, read as follows: 

‘‘Dear Friend: 

“No doubt you will be surprised to get this 
letter from me, as you have never seen me, 
nor I you. But as my mother is very busy 
she asked me to write in her stead. I am 
Helen’s younger sister; and as we are all glad 
to read the letters that you send Freddie, and 
you are so kind to him, that we feel that in 
you we have more than a friend. You are 
the first and only friend that has treated him 
so kindly, and, dear friend, we all appreciate 
it. He has such good times with the presents 
that you have sent him, and is always talking 
and asking for his Uncle John. He says 
that he would like to see you, and we all hope 
that before long you can come down here and 
visit with us. I had a letter from Helen a 
short time ago ; she says that she is well and 
is having a good time. We expect her home 
for a visit before long, and she will be so 
glad to see Freddie. Mother and father send 
their regards to you and want you to write 
often. Hope you are well, as we all are, and 
with kind regards, I am your friend, 

“Bertha Wish.” 

That was another new and pleasing ex- 
perience for John, and he lost no time in an- 
swering that letter. He told her how thank- 
ful he was for receiving such a kind and 
welcome missive, and that he hoped that she 


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71 


would see fit to keep up the correspondence. 
“Yes/’ said he, “I am a friend of Helen’s, 
and whether the time will ever arrive when 
I can call her more than a friend, remains 
as yet to be learned.” “But hopes,” said he, 
“is one of the very best assets that I can claim, 
and I intend to stick to it.” It pleased him to 
think that his kindly acts were touching the 
hearts of all. But in the correspondence that 
was built up with Bertha, step by step and 
stone by stone, the foundation was laid that 
carries the weight of this story. 


CHAPTER IX. 


Kind letters came from Bertha, kind letters 
returned to her from John. Helen’s letters 
had ceased entirely. He wrote to her and 
asked what the trouble might be, but received 
no answer. Time and time again did he write ; 
no answer came. Bertha’s letters were punc- 
tual, and more than friendly, while all that 
he could hear from Helen was what came 
from his newly made friend. She told him 
that Helen was home on a visit; but she did 
not tell him of the plots that were being made 
and the plans that were being drawn up, un- 
der the careful supervision of their exper- 
ienced and wily mother, that, at times, even 


72 


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the treacherous heart of Helen revolted; only 
to be rekindled with a fresh supply of de- 
ceit, and she was herself again, with renewed 
energy. 

Being raised in such proximity to Elsie’s 
home, they being playmates in their childhood 
days and schoolmates later on, though Elsie 
by no means approved of their conduct, she 
having good sense enough to know from 
where and what source their actions were 
springing, they were friends. And what 
troubled Mrs. Wish was that whenever her 
girls had been in Elsie’s company it took her 
some time to undo the honest principles that 
Elsie had instilled into their characters, and 
get them replaced with ones of her own. It 
pained Elsie to hear Helen recite to her of 
the good times that she was having at the sole 
expense of the ones that thought they were 
doing her an honor, and she told Helen in 
her broken English, (for that was the only 
language she would use), “that she vill not 
do like dat.” “I vill vait,” she would say, 
“und veil a goot feller gomes py me, und I 
loff him, und he loffs me, I vill pe true py 
him, und stick py him like efferytings ; und 
ven we get marriet, alreaty, und lif py a nice 
leetle house inside, he vill tink off no odder 
girl put me. Und I vill tink off no odder 
man put him, und ve vill all de times pe 
habby alreaty.” 

“Yes, Elsie, but look at all of the good 


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73 


times, and all of the good things that you are 
missing/’ '‘Why,” she said, “look at the nice 
things that I can have, and if I had to buy 
all of those things that I now get for presents 
it would take more wages than I could pos- 
sibly earn; and they don’t cost me a cent.” 
“Where I work,” continued Helen, “I have 
a lover that takes me to the theatres and 
dances, and on Sundays we go to the lake 
and have a good time. And besides that I 
have a fellow way out West that loves me the 
very worst kind of a way ; look at all of those 
nice things that he has given me. This neck- 
lace came from him, and this bracelet. And 
see this ring. He told me that it was made 
from a ring that his grandmother and her 
mother wore, before they died, and say, but 
he did think a lot of that ring. He said that 
nothing but love could buy it. And you just 
bet Elsie, I loved him for all I was worth, 
till I got that ring. He thinks that I am go- 
ing to marry him some day, but I will fool 
him, good and plenty; but he is a nice fellow 
and so kind. I believe that he would give me 
his last dollar if he thought that I needed it. 
He is some kind of a machinist, and is on the 
road most of the time for a big company in 
the cities, but his home is in Montana. He’s 
a German, too, and was born in Germany, and 
came to this country when he was a baby. He 
would make a good fellow for you, Elsie. You 
and him would make a fine pair, as he is just 


74 


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like you. I don’t want him, and when I can 
get all of his presents, I will turn him over 
to you.” 

‘‘Vy Helent,” replied Elsie, '‘unt you don’t 
lolf him, und you dake all of his bresents, 
und dake der ring vot his grenmotter vear, 
und you make him dinks dat you loff him al- 
reaty, und ven you ged all of his bresents 
you vill trow him avay ? Helent I vas 
ashamed off you, I vas surbrised to hear you 
dalk like dat, und you mit von huspand py 
der chail inside alreaty. Somedimes, Helent, 
you iss going to pe a very sorry vomant, you 
pet on dat.” 

‘‘Oh,” replied Helen, in anger, “you needn’t 
throw it up to me about my husband, I am 
not to blame for him getting in bad and go- 
to the pen. If it hadn’t been for mother, I 
never would have married him. You know 
that I always did like Herman the best, but 
mother thought that because Lou’s folks were 
rich, he would make a fine catch; but just as 
soon as we were married his folks locked him 
out, and would have no more to do with him, 
and then I was in a pretty fix. Have to live 
with a man that I had no use for, and just as 
poor as myself. None of that for me, Elsie, 
life is too short for that.” 

“Und if you ben goot py him, like he ben 
goot py you, you voot haf ben habby alreaty. 
Eferypody say dat, Helent. But you make 
droubles mit your mout, like your motter 


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75 


make mit your ladder, und he ben glat to go 
py der chail inside so he vill hear no more 
scoldings. Ven you vas seek, Helent, he vas 
goot py you like eferydings, und you neffer 
dry to make habbiness. You make vorry lor 
him, alreaty, und he go py der town und geet 
drunk, und do somedings dat he haff to go py 
der brison, und you fly py der lawyer, und 
geet babers dat make you nod his wife some 
more alreaty. Id vas a chaim, Helent, und no 
goot vill gome py such doing, und you fint 
dat Olid purdy guick.’' 

“Oh well,’' replied Helen, “it ain’t for you 
to tell us what our conduct should be. Our 
mother taught us girls that the time to be 
young is when we are young. When one 
begins to reach middle life is plenty of time 
to marry the one that you care for, and settle 
down for the rest of your life. Remember, 
Elsie, that it is best to live when you can live, 
for you are a long time dead. And when 
one is tied up to a husband and a house full 
of children, there isn’t much chance to live. 
Only dig and work, Elsie, that’s all. I, for 
one, am going to enjoy myself while I can, 
and have as good a time as I can, till I see 
myself getting old. Then, and not till then, 
will I think of settling down and being happy 
ever after.” 

“So?” enquired Elsie. “But vat does your 
f adder say aboud dat. I vill pet you, Helent, 
dat your fadder vill say dat is der dimes 


76 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

pti you seddle up, nod seddle down. For 
veil you haf such doings, you neffer can ged 
der vones you loff, put haff to dake der vones 
vot you can ged, or you dond dake none, al- 
reaty. Maype habby, maype nod. Iss your 
modder und fadder habby, Helent? I dell 
you no. Ven your fadder und Frettie go py 
der fielt, as quick as day ged py der ped oud, 
is ven day are habby. Und poor Frettie. 
Somedimes he gomes py our house inside, und 
stay all day, und ven my modder tell him 
dat he haff to go py home, der dears gomes 
py his eyes, und he gry, boor leetle veller, he 
vood pe petter deat. Got in himmel, Helent, 
ven der tay of chudgement gomes, den I guess 
who vill stant up and say, ‘I bay for all dose 

„ y yy 

sms. 

Helen reached out, and, putting her hand 
on Elsie’s shoulder, said, “Elsie, I wish that 
I was like you ; but its too late, Elsie, for me 
to change now. I love my father, Elsie, and 
were it not that us girls did as mother wants 
us to, life for father would be worse than 
hell. It’s bad enough now, Elsie, but if we 
were to cross her path, I hate to think of just 
what it would be. I know that our home is 
different than other homes, but what can we 
do? It seems like that she was getting worse 
as she gets older. And even now, it would 
be far easier for me than for Bertha, for 
now, Bertha is her slave. She has the poor 
girl tied hand and foot. Let her once re- 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


77 


fuse to do as mother wishes, and believe me 
it would go hard with Freddie; for you know 
that Bertha was only yet a girl, and under 
age, when Freddie was born and mother has 
told her that, no matter what happens, she 
won't give up the child. Sometimes I think 
that I will make a change and try to be a 
better girl, but there is so many now that 
know me. The only thing that I could do 
would be to go away off where I am not 
known, and away from my home influences, 
and start all over. But when I think of 
father, I give up all hopes of reforming, and, 
for his sake, do as mother would have me 
do. God, Elsie, I wish I had my girlhood 
days back to me again, and could only know 
what I now know. I would have run away 
from home, and maybe I could have found a 
home where I could have learned something 
else than what I now know. I wish that I 
had never, never been inside a hotel, Elsie, for 
it is just as John tells me. It is the very 
worst place for a girl, and I know now that 
it is true." 

‘‘Who is Chon?" asked Elsie. 

John is the man that loves me, Elsie, and 
he would give his life for me, if requested. 
He is the one that I was telling you of, that 
gave me all of those nice presents and has 
been so good to me. See how good he is to 
^'^ddie. I made him think that Freddie is 
my boy, and he says that if >e can't win my 


78 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


love that he will win Freddie’s, and help 
to make a good man of him. And in that he 
has already won, for Freddie talks of him all 
the time, and calls him his Uncle John, and 
says that he loves his Uncle John better than 
anybody.” 

''Veil,” replied Elsie, "for vy dond you 
marry him? You could yet pe a goot voman, 
Helent. You could dake your tings mit you, 
und go lif py his house inside, und pe habbv 
like anydings. You say dat he iss a goot vel- 
ler, for vat more do you want? You pet 
he lofifs you, or for vy he loff Frettie if he 
nod lof¥ you? You pet, Helent, dat iss der 
pest ding vot you can do. Der law makes 
you nopoby’s wife now, und you could lif py 
him, und pe goot py him, und pe chust as 
habby as anydings alreaty. Yoy pet you my 
life on dat.” 

The color left the fair German cheek of 
Helen, as she grasped Elsie by the shoulders, 
a hand on each one ; while in an excited tone 
she said, "Marry him? No. How could I 
marry him, Elsie, after the way that I have 
treated him, and the lies that I have told him. 
What would he think of me when he found 
out the truth? What would he think of me 
when he learned the truth about Freddie? 
No, Elsie, I think too much of him to go and 
spoil his life by marrying him, for he would 
then push me aside, and we both would be 
worse off than we now are. No, Elsie, I 
can’t do that.” 


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79 


Elsie put her arm around Helen’s neck, 
and looking her pleadingly in the eyes, said, 
‘'But vy nod dell him de truth first, Helent, 
und den if he loffs you, you vill know id 
purdy guick. If he loffs you now, for der 
lies you tolt him, he vill loff you more for der 
truth; und if he loff Frettie now, he vill loff 
him some more ven he fint oud alreaty.” 

“Oh, you are so good, dear Elsie. I will 
think that over, and talk it over with Bertha, 
but I am afraid Elsie, dear, that when he 
hears the truth, even though it does come 
from my lips, that he will turn his back on 
me and never want to see me again. And 
who could blame him. He is a gentleman, 
Elsie, in every sense of the word. Puh, Elsie, 
I am not fit to black his shoes.” 

“If he ben a chentleman, Helent,” replied 
Elsie, “he vill nod turn his pack py you, he 
vill help you to pe goot. Und if he iss nod a 
chentleman, you vill fint it oud purdy guick 
alreaty, for den he vill turn his pack py you, 
und dell you to go ; und dot is von goot vay 
to find oud.” 

“Well, Elsie,” replied Helen, “I must be 
going home now, but I will think that all 
over tonight, and I will see you tomorrow. 
You make me happy, Elsie, for I haven’t 
written to him for a long time, as I wanted 
him to forget me, but the harder I try at 
that, Elsie, the more he thinks of me, and his 
letters come oftener than ever.” And at that, 
she took her departure. 


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‘‘Yes,” said Elsie to herself, after Helen 
had gone, “I see how she vill tink it ofer, if 
she tinks anydings ofer, it vill pe some more 
devil pusiness. She tink dat she vool me, like 
she vool der ment folks alreaty, und tomor- 
row she vill pe vorst as she iss today. No, 
Helent, you iss a ship off der olt plock, al- 
reaty, und der ben no goot in you. You make 
such talk like dat befor, Helent, und nopody 
gan drust you. Oh, vy for does viment make 
such doings ? Purdy guick der ment folks 
vill vish dat der viment iss all deat, und I pet 
you my life dat poor Mr. Vish tink dat long 
time ago alreaty. Dat olt Blixent, she dake 
goot leedle pabies und make devels mit dem; 
too pad, too pad, I veel sorry mit dem.” “It^s 
too pad,” she went on, “dat der law didn’t 
dake her py der neck und put her py der 
brison inside alreaty, und den der girls vood 
haf ben goot girls, und nod make monkeys 
mit der ments hearts, und vool mit der loff. 
Somedimes der ment volks vill ged mat, und 
den der iss going to pe some pad habbinings 
mit a gun alreaty, und droubles gome py 
eferypody. You pet you my life, if I coult 
talk py dat man dat makes loff py Helent, I 
vood dell him purty guick dat she makes 
m.onkey pisiness mit him, und den laf at him 
ven he iss gone alreaty. It makes me so mat 
ven vimen haf such doings, und der goot 
vimen all haf to bay mit der gharacters, for 
purty guick der ment volks vill had noddings 


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81 


to do py dem, und for vy? Shust pecause der 
devel iss in some of dem grazy tings.” 

‘‘El-sie,” came the shrill voice of her mother 
from the kitchen. 

‘‘Yes, Muter. Vat iss?” 

“For vy you make all dose scoldings? You 
vill pe as pad as Mrs. Vish purdy guick. I 
pet you dot Helent has pen delling you apout 
some more of her vellers. I vish dot she 
voot stant avay from here She gomes here 
und dells you a pig lot of stuff dot do no girl 
goot to know. Und ven she is gone py her 
home, den you make scoldings all de dimes 
like her mutter make, und purty guick we 
vill haf to go py der fielts und stant all day, 
like boor old Fritz und Frettie. Und der tog, 
he looks glat mit his eyes ven he don’t haf to 
gome py der house inside, py der dinner, but 
he stant py der parn und vait.” 

“Oh yes, Helent she ben here,” replied 
Elsie, “und she dold me lots bout a new vel- 
ler dat liffs oud vest, I dink she say Montana. 
She say she half goot times mit him, und gids 
lods of bresents. Und vat you tink? She 
make him pelief dat Frettie is her poy, und 
dot is ver he geds all dose nice tings dot gome 
py him, und makes him so habby.” 

“Veil der next dime she gomes here,” re- 
plied the mother, “you shust sent her py me, 
und I vill dell her guick dot betters she go 
dell her droubles py der boliceman in der town 
she liff py.” 


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“No, 110, Mutter, doiid do dat, dat vill do 
no goot. Maype some day she vill ged her 
eyes oben, iind fint oud shust ver she has 
pen von pig humpug; und dot she has made 
a pigger vool mit herself dan mit anypody. 
Und den maype she vill make a goot vomant 
yed. Betters we help her. Mutter, und dry 
to make habbiness mit olt Fritz und Frettie. 
I talk goot py her, und she say she is going 
to make ehange, und is sorry mit der way 
she liffs. Bud ven she goes py home, dot olt 
blixent mutter make develment mit her, und 
she is vorse dan pefor. Ve cand do much. 
Mutter, bud led us do der pest ve gan.’' 

“Veil,” said her mother, “you hurry mit 
your sewings, for purty guick school vill pe 
start, und you haf no dresses to go py der pig 
school inside.” 


CHAPTER X. 


Elsie was at home, busily sewing. She 
had made arrangements whereby she could do 
enough chores, mornings and evenings, for the 
family that she was living with, to repay them 
for her board and lodgings, while she attended 
the public school in town ; and new dresses 
were now in order. For, as she herself said, 
“I haflf no dime to make der dresses, ven I 


THE PAGES OF LIFE S3 

ged py my studdics.” So she was busily en- 
gaged in making them for herself. 

Helen was home on a week’s visit from the 
cities, and had brought with her the surplus 
nick-nacks that she had accumulated as pres- 
ents from her many admirers, and, as usual, 
unloaded them into her mother’s care. Bertha 
now was employed in the old hotel where 
Helen and John had first met, and she, too, 
was home on a short visit. 

Helen had just returned from her call upon 
Elsie, and it was plainly to be seen that there 
was something worrying her. They were all 
seated around the center table in the sitting 
room of their little farm home, Freddie snug- 
gling cosily in Bertha’s lap. Mrs. Wish looked 
up from her sewing and remarked to Helen, 
''Well, I should judge by the looks of you, 
Helen, that since your little visit with Elsie 
she again has your head all filled full of that 
pious stuff of hers, and that you are thinking 
very seriously of becoming a Saint or Sister 
of Charity, or something of that sort.” 

"Oh,” replied Helen, "I don’t know as to 
the Saint stuff, but just the same I often think 
that if I could become Tike Elsie I would be 
pretty well satisfied. I tell you. Mother, this 
life that I am living ain’t just what it should 
be, and some day we are all going to wake up 
to a true realization of that fact, when it will 
be far, far too late.” 

"I knew it,” replied her mother, "that is 


84 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

just the way you feel after every time you 
talk to that girl. Why is it any of her aflfairs, 
Helen? She is not responsible for you, that 
I know of, and if she will just look to herself 
and keep her own skirts clean, she will find 
that she has plenty to do, and keep her valu- 
able advice to herself — plague take her. She 
has a crazy notion in her head that she is just 
a little more than anybody else.” 

‘'Crazy or not. Mother, I believe that Elsie 
is right,” replied Helen. ‘T have just had a 
long talk with her about John, and she thinks 
that the very best thing I can do is to make 
a clean confession to him of all of the wrongs 
that I have done him, tell him the truth about 
Freddie, and ask him if he thinks that after 
all this he can still love me as he did before. 
Then, she says, if he is only pretending that he 
loves me, he will tell me to begone, and that 
will be the last of him. But, as she told me, 
if he now loves me for the lies that I have 
told him, he will love me more for the truth. 
Then we can marry, and I can start all over, 
and yet be happy in a new life.” 

“Just as I thought,” remarked her mother. 
“The idea. Marry nothing. What in the 
world do you want to marry for? Ain't you 
having a god enough time as it is? And the 
chances are ten to one that he is better to you 
now than he would be after you were mar- 
ried to him. You were fooled once in wed- 
lock, and I should think that would be enough 


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85 


for you for a while. If he wants to love 
you, let him love you; yon can’t help that. 
But for Heaven’s sake, get that marrying idea 
out of your head, for at least ten years yet. 
You will find that married life is plenty long 
at that. Let him be as good to you as he wants 
to, it won’t hurt him, and it is not at all likely 
that he has anyone else to spend his surplus 
money on, and you may just as well get it as 
anybody. You have everything to gain and 
nothing to lose, Helen, so don’t get foolish 
and go and spoil the whole thing. And be- 
sides, it won’t hurt him any more to let him 
down later on than it will now.” 

‘'Oh, Mother, please don’t say that. I know 
I have nothing to lose, except my character, 
and such actions as that only bring a name 
upon one’s self that is a disgrace to the world. 
Don’t be so cruel. Mother. Others have 
hearts, whether we have or not. I have al- 
ready lied enough to him, when I made him 
think that Freddie was mine.” And looking 
her mother straight in the eyes, she asked, 
“What will he think of us, when he learns 
the truth?” 

“What do we care what he thinks of us?” 
angrily inquired her mother. “Why did you 
tell him that Freddie was yours, unless you 
wanted him to think so ; and now since he 
thinks that, let it go at that. Freddie can 
stand all of the presents that he can give him, 
and be that much ahead, for we can’t afford 


86 


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to buy them; while if he can get them from a 
love-sick man, what’s the odds?” 

'‘The reason that I told him that Freddie 
was mine,” hotly replied Helen, “was because 
I thought that if he would think I was already 
the mother of a child that he would give me 
up. But in that I was disappointed, for he 
told me that he would love me all the more 
for it, and unless the Little Man, as he calls 
Freddie, came with me, that he never would 
want to marry me. He told me that he never 
yet has seen the child he could not win, and 
that he would bet he could win the love of the 
boy, whether he could win mine or not, and 
you can plainly see he has done it. Who could 
abuse such a love as that. Mother? No, if I 
can’t love him, I can at least respect him.” 

Bertha had taken no part in the argument, 
but sat with Freddie cosily snuggled in her 
lap. That little fellow, hearing his name men- 
tioned so often, would turn his blue eyes up 
to Bertha’s and then, just as wonderingly, 
turn them toward Helen and his only known 
mamma. He had gleaned enough from their 
conversation to know that they were talking 
of his Uncle John, but the cause of the evi- 
dent anger and hot words that were ensuing 
between Helen and mamma was a mystery to 
him. Bertha was his favorite, and just as he 
was about to throw his arms around her neck 
and ask her what it all meant, he noticed that 
there were tears in her eyes and her lips were 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 87 

trembling. He had noticed that Helen had 
said she had made Uncle John believe that he 
was her boy, but he couldn’t understand just 
why she had done that, and was just on the 
point of asking Bertha, when Bertha drew 
him up to her and kissing him on the cheek, 
pleadingly implored her mother not to have 
Helen do that. '‘Please don’t. Mother,” she 
begged, "I don’t want my baby boy mixed up 
in any affair as that. If he is a good fellow, 
as Helen says he is, we should not wrong 
him like that ; and what would he think of us 
when he learns the truth. I don’t want my 
baby to be used as a stool-pigeon for any- 
thing like that, Mother, so let us not be so 
cruel. We have had trouble enough now. 
Mother, and then my baby can be left out of 
it.” 

The word of Mrs. Wish was supposed to 
be the law in that household, and as her words 
were many, so were her laws. She had not 
only been her own law maker, but she had 
been both judge and jury for so long that it 
was a very dangerous proposition for any of 
the family circle to cross her pathway, and 
they all knew it. And though Bertha was 
not nor had been just what she should, the 
protecting instinct of a mother was yet in her 
heart, and she liked to think that all of the 
purity in which she was so deficient lay en- 
wrapped in the breast of her child ; and it was 
in his little breast that she wished it to re- 


83 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


main. It was due to her thoughtless disre- 
gard for the morrow that made her respon- 
sible for the being of that little soul, and now 
she was ready to make any sacrifice for its 
protection. 

Her mother turned upon her in a rage, and 
with anger flashing from her eyes, she ques- 
tioned : 'Tndeed, and where did you get your 
authority, my little lady, to dictate to your 
mother? And by what right have you to ob- 
struct my wishes? You — you talk about 
truth, and get sentimental over affairs that 
are of no concern of yours. What more dis- 
grace could any little love affair bring upon 
our heads than what you already have brought 
upon us? And then the idea, indeed, of you 
presuming to tell us what is right and what is 
wrong. Let me tell you, young lady, that you 
have nothing whatever to say in regards to 
Freddie, even if you are his mother. You, 
yourself, was under age, and under the legal 
age of consent, when Freddie was born. And 
I have seen to it that that fact alone brings 
him under the authority of no one except 
myself and your father ; and whether you 
like it or whether you don’t, I will also see to 
it that he will walk in the ways that I wish 
him to go, regardless of any of your pictur- 
esque sentiments. And I hope to have a little 
better success with him than I can boast of 
with you.” 

With one arm around Freddie, the other 


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89 


on the table, her face buried in it, Bertha was 
crying like her heart would break. ‘‘Yes,’’ 
she said, “and the very best success that we 
both could have had would have been that I 
had never been born.” 

“Well, I will agree with you there,” cruelly 
replied her mother, “for you have never yet 
appeared to realize the trial you have been 
to me. And any time that you feel that you 
can better your condition, Bertha, you are 
entirely at liberty to pack up your few be- 
longings and move. But bear in mind, young 
lady, that you don’t get in again. You made 
a lucky guess when you named Freddie after 
your father, or you never would have got back 
as you did. But remember, that the next 
move will be the last one, and Freddie stays 
right here with us. Remember that, too.” 
“You have been a heart-sore to us since you 
were in short dresses,” she stormed, “and if 
we had served you with what you deserved 
we would have disowned you for good and 
all, instead of taking both you and your off- 
spring on our hands to care for. And what 
thanks do we get for it?” 

Bertha could stand it no more. Clutching 
Freddie tightly in her arms, she bolted for 
the stairway, and up to her room. Laying 
her boy down on the bed, she lay down beside 
him, and wept like a child. But, dear reader, 
she did not weep alone, for that dear little boy, 
with his little arm thrown around her neck. 


90 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


was meeting the heaviest demand that as yet 
he had been called upon to pay. His awaken- 
ing and inquisitive little brain was befuddled 
with a weight of mystery that was far too 
deep for him to solve — but not too deep for 
him to try. With both little hands, he rolled 
her head over on the pillow, and placing a kiss 
squarely on her cheek, he asked, ''What does 
Mam.ma scold like that for, Bertha, and what 
did she say that you is my Mamma for, and 
Helen tell Uncle John that she is my Mamma 
too? What do they do that for, Bertha? 
Won’t you tell me? I don’t know for what it 
is all mean for that, Bertha. Won’t you tell 
me?” he pleaded, as he kissed her cheek time 
and time again. 

"No, darling, I cannot tell you. You will 
learn it dear child, far, far too soon as it is,” 
replied Bertha, as she hugged his fair little 
cheek to her’s. "Oh God,” she said, "why 
didn’t we both die ; we could at least have had 
peace. If anyone ever has paid for their sins, 
I sure am paying for mine, and your trouble, 
dear boy, is yet to come. What a fool, what 
a fool I was,” and again burying her face in 
the pillows, she wept the fears of repentance. 

The sobs of Helen, together with the angry 
words of her mother, coming plainly to their 
ears told them that the storm was still raging 
down stairs. And as Freddie could see of no 
other way to do, only as the others, he too 
wept; but his tears were of short duration, 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


91 


for as yet the only excuse that he had to offer 
for his tears was that Bertha was crying, and 
the reason that Bertha was crying was be- 
cause Mamma had scolded. So after rolling 
the event over in his own little mind, and in 
his own way, he concluded that Mamma was 
to blame, for she scolded lots too much any- 
way. Raising himself up to a sitting position 
in bed, he inquired aloud, and of himself, 
“Why tant our Mamma be like Elsie’s 
M^amma ? Elsie tomes home, and they all 
laugh and have a dood time, an’ her Mamma 
don’t stold a tall. But our Mamma stolds 
Papa wen he tomes in the house, an’ she tails 
me a little brat.” And reaching over and get- 
ting Bertha by the shoulder, he shakes her, 
and asks, “What is a brat, Bertha, dat is what 
Mamma tails me wen she dets mad ; do you 
know what is a brat, Bertha? Papa he lifted 
me up in his arms one time, an’ tissed me, an’ 
tol’ Mamma dat he tink I bring sunshine in 
the house, an’ now, he say, it’s a worse hell 
as ever. But I didn’t bring sunshine in, Ber- 
tha, it tome in all by itself tru the window. 
An’ Mamma she say dat only ting I bring in 
the house is lots trouble ; an’ I tlean my shoes 
ofif dood, every time I tome in. Say, Bertha, 
let’s do way far off, where Uncle John is ; 
an’ Helen she tan do too. An’ some night 
when its dood an’ dark, we tome back an’ det 
Papa an’ Shep, an’ then Mamma haf to stay 
here all ’lone, an’ stold herself, an’ den I bet 


92 


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she will be mad. Me an’ Papa tan live with 
Uncle John, at his house, an’ wen you an’ 
Helen tomes to see us, it will be des like it is 
at Elsie’s house, an’ we won’t let Mamma 
tome tall. Dats what we do, Bertha,” said he, 
as he brought his little fists smacking together, 
“an’ we won’t tell her where we is.” 

Bertha now sat up, and hugging Freddie 
tightly to her, she said, “No, no, Freddie, 
you mustn’t talk like that, you must be good 
to Mamma and try to do everything that she 
wants you to do. You must be a good boy, 
and love Mamma and maybe some day we all 
can be happy. It is not all Mamma’s fault, 
dear boy, it is mine. Oh God, had I but only 
thought, how different it could now be. But 
we must bear our troubles the best we can, 
Freddie, and hope for better. But I do hope 
that Helen won’t do that, I hope she won’t.” 

The storm had spent its fury downstairs, 
and Helen with tear-stained cheeks came up 
to Bertha’s room. “Gee,” she said, “but 
mother is mad. What’s the use, Bertha? If 
we try to be like other girls there is trouble at 
home, so we might just as well go along as 
we are, and make the best of it. I won’t 
marry John, I will just quit writing to him 
entirely. He has been good to me and I ex- 
pect it will hurt him to get turned down now, 
but who cares? I don’t think that he and I 
could get along very well anyway. He is too 
steady for me, and I expect that he would 


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93 


want to take me way out where his folks live, 
while I am having it pretty good where I am. 
What’s the difference? If he is bound to be 
good to Freddie, well, Freddie will be just 
that much ahead, that’s all. And see how 
much good it will do mother, to know that 
someone is getting bled. For you know, Ber- 
tha, that life ain’t any too rosy for him and 
father as it is.” 

‘‘But can’t we go away somewhere, Helen, 
where we are not known, and take him with 
us? We could find work of some kind, and 
I could lead my boy a better life than he will 
get here. You know, Helen, that the ones 
that know us all look down on us, and the 
only friends that we have are the ones we 
happen to pick up, and who we know nothing 
about. Elsie is the only one of our old-time 
friends that sticks to us, and she does it for 
svmpathy more than anything else, dear girl. 
God. Helen, why wasn’t we like her?” 

“Elsie’s thoughts have always been along 
different lines than ours, Bertha. Even when 
we were little girls, she was different than us. 
I heard say one time, that what was 

bred in the bone would not run from the mar- 
row, and I guess he was right, for Elsie is 
just like her mother. Say, but wouldn’t her 
and John make a fine couole?” exclaimed 
Helen, “thev are so much alike.” “No, Ber- 
tha, we can’t go away and desert father. We 
can have all the fun we want with others, and 


94 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

shove them aside when we get tired of them, 
but we can’t do that with father. But I’ll tell 
you what we can do. You have started to 
correspond with John, and you just stick 
right to it. You needn't tell him one word 
about me, and I will quit him cold. He’s a 
pretty good fellow, and a heart in him as big 
as your head ; maybe in time, after he finds 
out that I have quit him, he will fall in love 
with you. But don’t tell him about Freddie, 
for what he don’t know won’t hurt him any, 
and I will bet that he will make times lots 
better for the kid, and you too. Tolly him 
along, Bertha, to beat the band. You won’t 
lose anything by it.” 

“O Helen, but that ain’t right, and you 
know it ain’t,” replied Bertha. can tell by 
the few letters that he has sent me that he is 
too good a man to treat in that way. It ap- 
pears to me that it would be better if we were 
to drop him entirely, and not lead him on any 
further.” 

“Yes,” said Helen, “and what then? Mother 
would go crazy if she thought that we had 
lost such a source of revenue as he has been. 
And believe me, Bertha, the nearer that you 
can come to gratifying the whims of mother, 
the better it is going to be wtih us all, for she 
is getting crankier every dav of her life; and 
if she ever turns the key on you again, Bertha, 
it will be ‘Good Day,’ for you will never get 
back again. It’s a bad deal, Bertha, but we 


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95 


may as well make all that we can out of it, 
while we can.’’ 

“Yes,” said Bertha, “it’s a bad deal, and I 
am helpless. God, if I hadn’t been such a 
look But now I am forced to do things 
against my very own wishes, whether right or 
wrong. My hands are tied, and I am help- 
less. If I could only take my boy and go 
somewhere where we are not known, I believe 
that things could be different. But as it is — 
Oh, well, I suppose death will end it some 
time, and then we will be free, sweetheart,” 
said she, as she placed a kiss on the forehead 
of her boy. 

“As mother told me, Bertha, you have 
nothing to lose, but all to gain,” said Helen. 
“Things may turn for you; that you won’t 
have to bring upon your name any more than 
is already on it. It may turn out that John 
will give to you the love that he has sought 
from me. If he does, Bertha, you marry him. 
He needn’t know a thing more about Freddie 
than what he already thinks he knows. He 
would then take you away amongst strangers, 
and who would be the wiser. You know ” 

“Me run away and desert my very own 
child, Helen, in order to marry a man that 
you yourself won’t marry; and then you have 
the pretentions to tell me that none will be the 
wiser? Why, Helen, how you talk,” replied 
Bertha. “No, a thousand times no. I would 
sooner take my boy in my arms and end it all 


96 


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in the river. The idea. Why even the mother 
hog in the yard won't give up their babes, 
until they are forced to. And then you would 
ask me to ruin the life of a man that I have 
never seen and one that your yourself say is 
a good fellow. Don't you suppose that in time 
he would learn the truth? And then what 
would he think of me? He would throw me 
aside as he would his old shoes, and if he 
did justice to me, he would kill me. I would 
have to guard every word of my past life in 
a way that I am not able to do; and as his 
travels takes him both far and near, he would 
be sure to find out the truth, at some time. 
No, Helen, I will write to him, as we now 
have started, and in time, if he develops a 
love for me, I will make a confession to him, 
I will tell him everything, and then he can 
take or leave me as he sees fit. But I won't 
deceive him, as you have done. No, never." 

‘‘No," said Helen, “but you again will make 
a fool of yourself, and spoil the whole darn 
thing, that's what you will do. If you were 
to tell him the truth about your boy, after 
what I have told him, he would size us all 
up as a bunch of trifling grafters, and we 
would hear of him no more. You know, 
Bertha, that your only chance is with a 
stranger, and this would be the best that you 
could hope for. You would be a fool to let 
it slip by." 

“Why don't you marry him?" questioned 


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97 


Bertha. ‘'You say that he loves you, and has 
begged for you. I should think that if he is 
good for me, that he would be equally good 
for you. Can you answer that, Helen?'' 

“Yes I can," hotly replied Helen. “He ain't 
the kind I want. He is too steady and home- 
like for me. When I marry again I am go- 
ing to have a man that's got the dough and 
ain't afraid to spend it. I don't care how he 
gets it, just so long as I get my share. And 
so long as I get my share, I ain't going to be 
any too particular as to what he does with his. 
And until that man does come my way, I am 
going to provide myself with as good a time 
as I can, no matter at whose expense." 

“And you, like myself, Helen," replied 
Bertha, “will wake up some day to a true 
realization of the fact that you have burned 
the candle at both ends, and instead of us en- 
joying the happiness and blessings that are 
due to womanhood, there will only be a flicker 
of our lives left, standing in the shadows of 
what could have been, our very own light. It 
is true, Helen, that our lives have not been 
just what they should, and even if it is too 
late now to retrace our steps back to the be- 
ginning, we have no right to destroy the lives 
of others." 

“Very nice sentiments," replied Helen. 
“But I for one am going to pluck the bird 
that's in my hand and take no chances with 
the one that is yet in the bush. I have discov- 


98 


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ered long, long ago that poverty plays but a 
poor accompaniment to happiness, and if we 
would prepare for that rainy day we should 
not be so very particular as to our actions on 
the bright ones. That’s my idea, Bertha, of 
making hay while the sun shines.” 

'‘Yes,” replied Bertha, "and that’s my very 
idea of burning both ends of the candle at 
one and the very same time.” 


CHAPTER XI. 


With tear stained cheeks, open mouth, 
and wide open eyes, Freddie sat upon the 
bed, mumbling the words of them all over 
and over in his bewildered little brain, but 
was at a complete loss as to what to make 
of the whole atlair. "Helen has told Uncle 
John that I am her boy and Mamma tells 
Bertha that she can’t have me even if she 
is my mother. An’ I can’t stand for why 
it is all ’bout,” said he to himself, as he sat 
deeply engrossed in the mystery. "I ask 
Bertha, an’ she say, that I fin’ out too soon 
anyhow Mamma stold all the time, an Ber- 
tha an Helen, both try an dey all-time talk 
’bout me, an’ I dess don’t know what’s the 
matter. After dinner I go over to Elsie’s 
house, an’ I ask Elsie if she know. ’Taint 
dat way at Elsie’s house. When Elsie 


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99 


tomes home, her Mamma don’t stold, an’ I 
never, never, seen Elsie try in my life. So 
I des do over af’ dinner an’ ast her.” 

At that he dismissed the affair from his 
innocent little thoughts, determined to 
take up the subject later on with Elsie, and 
see if she couldn’t shed a little light on the 
matter, that would in some way help him 
to clear up the mystery. Leaving the girls 
yet in their room, busily engaged in the ar- 
gument that appeared to be of so much im- 
portance to them all, he went down stairs 
and out into the yard. He brought forth 
the little wagon that Uncle John had sent 
him, and getting Shep, his ever faithful 
friend, loaded into it, he soon forgot the 
whole thing in the interest he was taking in 
keeping his passenger in the wagon, till at 
last Bertha came to the door, and called 
him in to his dinner. Papa then came in, 
and glancing from one face to another, 
wordlessly sat down at the table. Resting 
one elbow upon the table, his cheek rest- 
ing in his hand, he quietly sat, as tho’ en- 
grossed in the most serious of thoughts. 

The meal was partaken of, with hardly a 
word; and all appeared to be greatly re- 
lieved, when it was finished. That only 
went to refreshen the mind of the little 
boy as to his plans in regard to the call he 
was going to make upon Elsie. So after 
that solemn repast was partaken of and 
they had all left the table, he left the room. 


100 


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and after washing his face and hands, he 
quietly stole himself away, and over to the 
home of Elsie. 

Elsie and the family had just finished 
their mid-day meal, when Freddie arrived, 
and her mother had just said, ‘‘Now El- 
sie, you go py your sewings, und I vill do 
der dishes. You know dat you mus work 
all der dime if you ged dem make ven 
school starts alreaty.” “Hello, Frettie,’' 
she said, as Freddie came in the room, “Und 
how iss eferypody ad your house to-tay?’’ 

“Yes Maam”, replied Freddie, “der is no- 
bodys sick at our house, but I want to talk 
with Elsie a little while, den I will go to 
my house again.’’ 

“Elsie has not much dime to-tay, Frettie, 
for she all der dime vork making der dresses 
vat she vear mit der pig school inside, but 
you can dalk mit her a liddle vile bud 
dond sdant too long, Frettie, for she haff 
no dimes.” 

Freddie entered the room, where Elsie 
was busily engaged with her sewing, and 
walking up closely, steadily looking her in 
the eyes, “Say, for why is everythings like 
it is at our house Elsie?” he questioned, of 
her. 

“For vy, Frettie? For vy do you ask dat?” 

“Well,” replied the little man, “I don’t 
know for why Mamma she stold all deh 
time, an’ she make Helen try, an’ then she 
stold Bertha an’ make her try, an’ I don’t 


.101 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 

know for what it is all ’bout. Bertha, she 
say that I is her boy; an’ Helen she tell 
Uncle John I is her boy; an’ Mamma, she 
say to Bertha, that she tant have me, if I 
iss her boy, but I dot to stay all der times 
with her ; an’ I des don’t know what’s 
th’ matter. Whose boy is I, Elsie, can you 
tell me?” 

Elsie’s sewing dropped from her hands, 
and reaching out she caught Freddie, and 
drew him near her. With one arm over his 
little shoulder, she answered, ‘‘No mine 
tear liddle poy, I cannod dell you. Some 
tay I ben frait you vill fint oud by yourself.” 
And letting go of him, she hurried her face 
in her hands, and cried like a child. 

Her mother just then entered the room. 
Seeing Elsie weeping, and Freddie stand- 
ing back, with a scared look upon his fair 
little face, she exclaimed, “For vy iss all 
diss? Vat make you gry Elsie, und for vat 
iss der madder anyhow?” 

Through tears, Elsie looked up and told 
her of the questions that Freddie had just 
asked her to answer. With trembling lips, 
her mother grasped the little boy in her 
arms, placing a hearty kiss upon his fair 
cheek, she said, “No, tear poy, we cannod 
dell you, so petters you run avay home, 
und nod tink of id, und ven you ged to pe- 
a pig mant you vill den vint oud all der is. 
Bud dond let id bodder your little heat 
now; you vill vint oud some tay anyhow, 
alreaty.” 


102 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


'‘But what for Elsie try?’' he inquired 'T 
neffer seen Elsie try before. Is she say that 
I her boy too?” 

"No Frettie, you is nod Elsie’s poy, but 
Elsie she like you, same as you ben her 
poy. Now you run avay home, und nod 
tink of id.” 

In his efforts to clear up the mystery, he 
had only entangled himself up worse than 
before, and no one would consent to help 
him solve the problem, even when he had 
asked them for help. They were all will- 
ing to inform him that at some time the 
facts would all be made known to him, but 
it was now that he wished to know the 
facts, and not have to wait until he was a 
Pig Mant as Elsie’s mother had told him. 

Poor child. Had he but known what lay 
hidden behind that curtain of ignorance. 
Had he but known that its fabric would 
only too soon be worn threadbare by the 
winds that were yet to come. Had he but 
known that when the exposure did take 
place, he himself, would be the greatest 
sufferer, then he would have realized just 
how kindly nature had been to him in hid- 
ing from his helpless little self the very 
first pages of his life. He would have 
known that there had been an enormous 
bonded indebtedness incurred by his fore- 
bears ; one from which he had, or never 
would receive any benefits, except that de-^ 
rived from packing its disgraceful weight, 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


103 


through the desert wastes of his lifetime, 
only to be unloaded upon the shoulders of 
the ones that followed him. 

But the time was not yet, tho fast ap- 
proaching, when the results of a thought- 
less disregard of the morrow his predeces- 
sors had been guilty of had wrecked the lives 
of not only themselves, but had shattered 
the hopes of their oflF spring, of reaping the 
happiness that the divine will of God had 
ordained for mankind, and that he is entitled 
to. He well knew that there was a some- 
thing in his life, and in the lives of them all, 
that was different than others; but just 
what it was, was the knowledge he sought. 
He had asked the one that was the nearest 
and dearest to him, but could get no satis- 
factory answer. In fact, the only answer 
that had as yet been given him left him 
more bewildered than before. The only 
thing now, he reasoned in his innocent little 
heart, was to lay the whole affair before 
the eyes of Uncle John. He had never seen 
Uncle John, but he hoped to, and in his 
longing for him he had pictured him in his 
little childish mind, as the one, and only 
one, \that stood prominently out as his 
very own. To be sure, there was something 
that drew him to Bertha, but as to what 
that something was, he was unable to de- 
cipher; while the events of the last few 
days had left him hopelessly stranded in a 
cloud of mystery, that only Uncle John 


104 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


could or would help him to unravel. And 
to that end, his little heart called for Un- 
cle John. 

The one that he called his Mamma no- 
ticed all this and in her shrewdness saw that 
now was the time to cast her treacherous 
and deceitful net, while she could use that 
innocent little heart to lure her prey into 
its folds. She wrote John a kind and 
motherly letter; one, as John said, was 
equal to one from his own. Enclosed along 
with that letter was one as tho’ coming 
from the little boy, unloading his little 
heart to his Uncle John, in a way that was 
intended to capture the love of any child- 
less man. He told of his thankfulness for 
the kindness that had been bestowed upon 
him, and ended that precious little message 
by saying, ‘‘That I love you with all my 
heart and I send you lots of kisses because 
you are my loving Uncle John.’’ 

John read the letter, over and over again, 
and the more he read it, the more certain 
was he that it never came from the hand 
of the child; for, he reasoned, that a child 
of that age would hardly be able to read 
a word, to say nothing about him being 
able to write as nicely worded a letter as 
that. But he also reasoned that tho’ the 
letter was written by another, it may have 
come directly and honestly from the heart 
of the child, and if that was the case what 
mattered it from whose hand it came, just 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


105 


so long as it was honest in its intentions, 
and as to that he had no grounds for doubt, 
for had not the only mamma that he knew 
anything of told him in her first letter that 
she was raising him up to be a God-loving 
man. John had told her, in his answer 
to that letter, that the child could not be 
a good child unless it was a happy one, 
and that he was willing to go a good way 
in making and keeping him happy. ‘‘For,’^ 
said he, “the little fellow has filled a very 
vacant space in my own heart, why should 
not I do as much for him.’’ He asked to be 
permitted to know the needs of the child 
so that his little needs could be attended to, 
as well as his desires. And that was met 
with a most thankful response ; and the time 
running very smoothly along. 

John’s ideas were, as in regards to Hel- 
en’s failure to write, that she was putting 
him to a test, as to his professed love for 
herself, as well as the little boy. As her 
mother, as well as the boy, had picked up 
the thread of correspondence at the exact 
place where Helen had broken it, he could 
not very well decide that it was anything 
else. Had she wished to abandon him en- 
tirely, he reasoned, she would have seen 
to it that the rest of her near kinship, were 
kept well out of the affair. But instead of 
that not only were the boy and her mother 
returning to him all that he could desire, 
but her sister, one that he had never met. 


106 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


had broken in upon the scene with as cor- 
dial a relationship as tho’ he already had 
been accepted as one of their own. 

It was Bertha that was always over- 
abundant with her thanks to him for his 
little acts of kindness toward the child. 
And it was her that always kept him well 
informed as regarded the condition of affairs, 
at their home. And it was her that awak- 
ened his eyes to the fact that it was she, 
that hungered for his love, instead of Hel- 
en. 

Letters now came from her headed Dear 
John. And it was she that told him of her 
little personal affairs, in a way, that had 
never been told by Helen. So if a little 
love began to creep into their correspon- 
dence, it was not to be wondered at. He 
wrote and told her of the love that he 
possessed for Helen, but he had made up 
his mind, that his love was not acceptable 
to Helen for her letters to him had ceased 
entirely, and that he now didn’t even know 
where she was located ; and he begged of 
her not to inform him, for as he said, it must 
be that she don’t want to hear from me, or 
she herself would write me. And I don’t 
want to bother her with my attentions if 
they are not acceptable to her. 

He asked her if she thought she could 
fill the void that Helen had left, and she said 
she could. ‘T have always loved you,” 
said she, ‘‘for I think that you are so kind. 


THE PAGES OP LIFE 


107 


and try to make people happy. Yes’’ she 
said, ‘T do and always will love you; but 
there is something that I wish to tell you, 
that I cannot write, but will have to wait 
till we can meet.” 

John was happy, and in his answer to her 
letter he did not conceal that fact from her 
in the least. He told her that whatever she 
had to tell or ask was perfectly safe com- 
ing through the regular channels of the 
mails, providing always, that they are prop- 
erly addressed. He had not long to wait 
for a reply; and in that reply the link was 
welded that set aside any and all doubts 
whatever as to the attachment that existed 
beween them. 


CHAPTER XH. 


Helen and Bertha had now returned to 
their different places of employment; while 
Elsie had just taken the first step toward 
the realization of her life’s ambition — an 
education. She was now numbered among 
the pupils by der pig town school inside ; 
and it was there that she was to be put 
through the test that was to try her hon- 
est soul to the very limit. But it was there 
that it was proven she posessed the quali- 
fications to even extend the limits. 


108 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


It was a severe trial for her, for tho' she 
did posess a start in the fundamental rudi- 
ments of Readin, Ritin and Rithmatic, it 
had all been in German, and it was a very 
hard matter at first for that dear girl to 
conceive the difference whether George 
Washington crossed the Delaware, or Der 
Tellverare, so long as he got across. And 
it was in those honest endeavors, that she 
was making to decipher the difference that 
brought an outburst of laughter from the 
school. 

But that wasn’t all that it brought, 
for it brought tears to the eyes of Elsie, as 
well as the information from the teacher, 
that the next outburst that occurred would 
entitle each and everyone of the guilty par- 
ties to a visit to the Principal, and as a good 
share of those young culprits had discovered 
in times gone by that the gentleman 
known as the Principal was not of a very 
sociable disposition, on such occasions, 
there was but little difficulty encountered 
in persuading them all to bite their lips 
while Elsie was reciting It was that that 
brought the teacher to her side, and plac- 
ing her arm around Elsie’s neck, told her 
to never mind, dear girl, in but a short time 
you will be able to master them all. And 
as to that every examination day that roll- 
ed around only went to maintain the credit 
of her teacher as being a prophet, as well 
as a teacher. 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


109 


She took to education like a duck takes 
to water, and the greatest difficulty her 
teacher had to contend with was to pre- 
vent herself from humiliating the remain- 
der of the class by advancing Elsie so of- 
ten. There were just two rules in every- 
thing for Elsie and they always worked 
both ways. One was that she attended 
school for the purpose of learning; the 
other was that for the purpose of learning, 
she attended school; and those same two 
rules were brought into her every-day life, 
as well as her school days. 

At night her books were home with her, 
and after she had given her honest ser- 
vices to the mistress of her home, the mid- 
night oil blazed forth from her lamp. Sat- 
urdays her time was devoted to the help 
of her mistress, in their regular household 
duties till evening, then she went to the 
home of her parents and took her educa- 
tion with her. The effects of her ambitions 
were soon felt in that home, as well as in 
the homes of others. Many, many prob- 
lems that were too deep for those honest 
but plodding neighbors, were laid before the 
eyes of Elsie, and their confidence never 
was betrayed ; or was its betrayal ever 
thought of. They more than trusted her, 
they loved her. And when her near neigh- 
bors gave a comparative glance back over 
her life and the lives of her playmates, 
they loved her more than ever. It may 


no 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


have remained a mystery to some how 
it happened that there was such a vast dif- 
jerence in the dispositions of Elsie and the 
daughters of her nearest neighbors, born 
and raised within a few rods of each other ; 
all breathing the same pure country air, 
the same green grass beneath their feet, the 
same blue sky above. The one shining forth as 
a patron Saint, while the others — well, to the 
ones that were acquainted in both house- 
holds, it was no mystery at all. The dif- 
ference started at the cradle and would end 
only at the grave. The one had been rear- 
ed in a true sense as what the requirements 
were to be in a true and glorious woman- 
hood; the other in a baser sense that could 
lead only a selfish greed. The one reached 
out a helping hand filled to the finger tips with 
the essentials that would aid in the up- 
building and maintaining of the standards, 
that is expected of woman-kind ; the others 
drew theirs in, filled with the ill-begotten 
spoils, derived from a false faith. One was 
purity in all its semblance; the other the 
degraded tokens of sin. 

Elsie’s ideals were high. In fact she was 
ever reaching out, and ever striving to 
reach the very highest plane, that is known 
to woman-kind. She herself was a credit 
to her sex, and she knew it ; but she didn’t 
know it as well as did her friends. She knew 
to whom that credit was due, and instead 
of taking it upon herself she placed it where 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


111 


it rightfully belonged. She never could 
picture to herself where any advantages 
were to be gained by crowding herself out 
of her own sphere and into the sphere of 
others. She fully realized that her own 
mother had placed herself into the most 
exalted position that God had created, by 
giving to her the breath of life, but that was 
not all. She had installed and developed 
into the character of her offspring a spirit 
of charity toward all, and a desire to main- 
tain the standard that was born with it; 
and a forethought that told it that those 
standards could only be maintained, by a 
just and careful thoughtfulness of the mor- 
row. And the morrow of Elsie reached out 
into the time when another little Elsie 
would sit upon her own knee and imbibe 
the lessons into her little character, that 
her own mother had so carefully installed 
into that of herself. No other selfishness 
could be laid at the door of Elsie only the 
one that she exhibited in her every care 
how her actions would affect the lives and 
happiness of others. 

It was along those lines that her am- 
bitions were aimed. Home was the most 
important factor that entered her views; 
she well realizing the fact that if she could 
become a shining light in her own home, 
that the rays would easily extend into the 
homes of others ; even to generations yet to 


112 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

be counted. For the home, as she reasoned, 
was the foundation upon which to build all 
that tended toward the enlightenment and 
progress of humanity, as even in her youth- 
ful years, she had noticed that as one was 
in their own home, so were they in the 
homes of others. And no matter what her 
trials were, or were to be; no matter what 
the glistening rewards for the present were, 
or were to be, her ambitions were all cen- 
tered upon the rewards that were to follow 
in the happy realms of the future. But, 
were it not for the very coldest contrasts, 
we would not be in a position to say. 

That it's the bleakness of every winter 

That makes Spring a welcome guest; 

And were it not for dismal shadows. 

Gladdening rays would go unblessed. 

There is nothing that will equal the bit- 
ter in providing a value for the sweet. So 
if the actions of her girlhood chums were 
of a shadowy or questionable character, it 
was only Elsie and the likes of Elsie that 
were in a position to question them. But 
in Elsie the spirit of charity was at its 
height, and she knew just where to place 
the blame. She knew that the foundation 
upon which her girlhood mates were asked 
to build, rested upon the treacherous sands. 
She knew that the foundation was barely 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


113 


able to carry its own weight, and that the 
weight of whatever was builded upon it 
meant disaster to it all. She had tried in 
her own homely way to bring a betterment 
into their conditions, by reminding them, 
as to what that disaster would mean. But when 
ever she felt that she was about to hope 
her efborts were gaining a foothold, 
she would discover that her advice had 
been thrown to the four winds, and their 
places filled with ideas of a baser nature. She 
knew from whence those ideas sprang and 
her heart always overflowed with sympa- 
thy, and it was that that lead her to re- 
mark of Helen, ‘‘Dat she vas a ship from 
der olt plock.’’ 

But Bertha, she had discovered the 
necleous of a better being. She could 
see that the rudiments of a true wom- 
anhood was there, but their development 
had been sorely neglected. That their 
chances for growth and development were 
small were fully realized, for even tho^ 
Bertha’s position would carry her out into 
ihe world and into better influences, the 
mother instinct that beat in her heart was 
the very thing that ^eld her cantive to the 
will and wishes of the one that had ruined 
the lives of her daughters by compelling 
^hem to walk in the pathway of her own 
false ideals. While those ideals were of 
a despicable character, they were the ones 


114 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


built in the image of herself, and her 
bigoted self was the only pattern she could 
be contented to copy after. 

The charity and cheerfulness of Elsie 
gained for her the friendship of her school- 
mates, 'while her earnestness gained the 
love of her teachers; and to repay her for 
her endeavors, they brought every possible 
means to bear upon their own endeavors to 
help her. In that they were well repaid, 
for they had the satisfaction of seeing her 
^tep by step mount to the very top-most 
rung that a common school is provided with, 
and when commencement day arrived, it 
was with the same satisfaction they realized 
that her education had well begun, but not 
ended. She now began to fit herself for 
the position of a teacher, with the earnest 
hopes in her heart, that such a position 
would open up to her an opportunity, that 
she could advance along her own lines, as 
well as to instill her own ideals into the lives 
of others. Her efforts were crowned with 
success, and new records in her pages of 
life were forthcoming. 

In time she received a permit that entitled her 
to the position as teacher in a small country 
school, and where in but a short time, her value 
was to become known. She assumed unto her- 
self, the duties of a guardian, as well as the 
duties of a teacher, and every chi'ld that left 
her care in the evening was a better child 
than when it had arrived in the morning. 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 115 

Jt was in that that the parents learned her 
true value, but they well knew, that the time 
they could claim her as their very own was of 
short duration. They could not hold her, for 
the world was hungry for the likes of her, and 
it was but a matter of time when she would 
see their beckon. 

The beckon came, and it was answered 
by a hungry desire in her to go forth 
into the world and let the ways of others 
mingle with those of her own. To broaden 
her own views were now her desires, and 
that could only be done by mingling with 
the outside world. She knew that the seat 
of progress was to be found in the west, 
and it was toward the west that her eyes 
were centered. She knew of the advan- 
tages that were to be gained by mingling 
with the ones that were ever reaching for- 
ward, and she longed to be with them. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


Even after the answer had been returned, 
John would pick up Bertha’s last letter and 
read it over and over again. ‘T just wonder 
what it is that she wishes to tell me,” he would 
ask himself. ‘‘But, pshaw,” he would say, 
‘‘it’s just some little girlish notion that has 
•'rept into her head, and she appears to be 


116 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


such an honest, conscientious little mite, 
that she wants her whole soul* laid bare, so that 
there will be no discovering to be done after 
we meet/’ But would she tell him in a letter? 
That was the next question that would come to 
him. ‘‘Well,” he would tell himself, “if she 
won’t, it won’t be so very long, anyway, till 
we can see each other.” 

Nevertheless, that question would not die. 
Time and time again he found himself ponder- 
ing over just what it could be. At last, he de- 
cided that probably she had had some little 
girlish love affair at some previous time, and 
that there yet was a something that wasn’t 
quite clear to her. “But time will tell,” said 
he, “and the thing to do is to wait for it-” 

It was now early autumn, and his work kept 
him busy. Help was scarce, and hard to get. 
The world was torn with war, and the son of 
man was called to arms ; so it needs be that the 
ones that were left behind had to supply the 
needs of the ones that were taken. He in- 
tended to spend the coming winter with his 
parents, and at times, there would be the pic- 
ture of a neat little home of his own spring 
into view. And no matter how pretentious or 
how humble it might be, a little woman named 
Bertha always graced its threshold. And he 
loved to think that in his coveted prize he was 
receiving the heart’s desires of Helen as well. 

Plans for the future now occupied his mind, 
and in those pllans he often wondered if 
Helen’s little boy could not spend a good share 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


117 


of the time with them. And as the school was 
handy to their home, he thought that it would 
be fine for the little lad to get a start toward 
an education in their city school. He decided 
that the next time he wrote, he would men- 
tion it to them, and learn if such a thing 
would be agreeable to all. Forethought told 
him that when the littte woman that he had 
learned to love so well was called upon to 
break kindred ties, and leave the ones that were 
near and dear to her to come out into a new 
and strange land to make her home with the 
one she loved, that there were going to be 
some very long and lonely days in store for 
her. So he had planned that if Freddie could 
come with her, that his care would occupy her 
time a little, as well as the satisfaction she 
would derive from the fact that she was not 
entirely among strangers. 

A letter was about due from Bertha and he 
was keeping pretty close watch upon the in- 
coming mails. At last it came- While on his 
way from work he had called, as was his cus- 
tom, and found among his mail, a letter from 
his Bertha. Thrusting all except that into his 
pocket, he continued his way toward home, and 
while on his way, he decided that he would run 
through it, so he opened the letter, but he 
didn't run very far after he had glanced over 
the opening lines. In fact had he run against 
a stone wall his halt would have been no more 
sudden. 'Twas the main thoroughfare of the 
little city and the walks were lined with people. 


118 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


but he saw them not. His eyes were glued on 
the lines of that letter and his brain was in a 
whirl. What could it mean ? Could he believe 
his own eyes, or was it just a prank that 
Bertha, in a jolly mood, was springing upon 
him. But whatever it was, it read as follows : 
Dear John: 

I got your letter, and was glad to hear from 
you. I am awfully thankful to you, dear John, 
for your kindness to me, but there is something 
that I must tell. Helen has told you that 
Freddie is her boy, but to tell you the truth 
he is my child. He was born to me the year 
that I was eighteen. He was born in the Uni- 
versity Hospital, and if you don’t believe me, 
dear John, you may write to them, and they 
will tell you the truth. His father left before 
he was born, and we have not heard from him 
since- I was gone from home nearly a year 
when father wrote for me to come home, and 
bring the baby with me. Since then, he has 
lived with them, while I work out, in nearby 
places, where I can get home often to see him. 
I should have told you this before, dear John, 
but I thought that before you would bestow any 
more of your kindness and affection upon me, 
that I would tell you all. I love my baby, John, 
and I will never part with him. The folks are 
all good to him, and all love him. So now you 
know. 

With love, from 

Be:rTha. 

Just as soon as John found that his jaws 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


119 


were movable, his lips came apart, his one hand 
tore the hat from his head, and as he gazed 
into space the exclamation broke from him, 
“Well — I’ll — be — darned,” was all that he 
could say. But it wasn't all that he could think 
by any means. Thoughts ran through his be- 
wildered head, till he couldn't tell whether they 
were going or coming. Was he mad? No! 
How could anybody get mad over such an hon- 
est confession as that? They couldn't. Think 
of the trial, h^ said to himself, for that little 
mother to be compelled by her own conscience 
to write those words. “God,” said John, “I 
wouldn't have done it.” But later he had 
changed his mind as to that and was willing to 
swear that very same little confession was the 
bravest, noblest and most honorable deed that 
ever came from a woman. And whatever John 
had to think of one, that also did he say. 

As to him being tricked, that was an evident 
fact; but it was by Helen and her mother. 
In Bertha's honest love for him, she had not 
only cleared her own skirts of any trace of 
treachery, but she had besmirched theirs. She 
had defied their false and treacherous actions, 
in order to protect the one she loved from 
dishonor. She was willing to sacrifice her own 
happiness, for what? For the truth. Why? 
Because the nucleus of womanhood throbbed 
in her breast, and she was away from home. 
She was away from those influences that had 
been brought to bear upon her girlhood life, 
and had been the means of robbing her of the 


120 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


most beautiful item in a woman’s life. But 
even then, there was a little spark left in her 
honest heart that, when fanned by the breezes 
of clean and thoughtful surroundings, wou<id 
break forth into a blaze of honor. 

John now knew what it meant to that little 
woman when she begged in the postscript of 
that letter for him not to tell Helen or her 
mother what had taken place. She knew that 
they had fed him on the very basest of potions, 
that of falsehood, treachery, and deceit; and 
that it was impossible to expose her own hon- 
esty without exposing their guilt. She knew 
that in order for her to protect the one that 
she loved, she would bring upon her own head 
the wrath of two calloused hearts. But the 
one she 'loved must be protected, even tho she 
lost that love. She would not part with her 
boy. Who would ask her to? 

All that day and night thoughts ran through 
his brain, and those thoughts were of her. 
She had come into his life, and had accused 
herself. Could he cast the first stone? No, 
and he wouldn’t if he could. Why couldn’t 
he be just as lenient with her as our Saviour 
had been with that other woman? Could the 
words that Jesus traced in the sand be the ones 
that were now tracing themselves in his own 
heart? He didn’t know, for nobody has ever 
told us what they were. But he would say, 
''Come and sin no more.” 

He expected that she wouiid be anxiously 
awaiting a reply, so he lost no time in getting 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 121 

one started back to her. He told her that if 
he had never loved her before, that he surely 
loved her now. ‘Tt was a sacrifice on your 
part, little girl,’' he said, “and I truly appre- 
ciate it. No, you won’t be asked to part with 
your little boy, and you never can come to me 
unless the boy comes along with you. “For,” 
said he, “I want to be the one that will supply 
that little fellow with what he has never 
known — a father’s love. Will you come?” 

She received his letter, and was happy- 
“Even yet,” said she to herself, as she 
smoothed her forehead with her hand, as tho 
to make sure that she was awake, “am I to be 
a woman, and take my place among women. 
God,” she said, “how kind you are. I expected 
that the truth would be my downfall, but in- 
stead it has brought us nearer together than 
ever. No,” she said, “it’s not the truth but it’s 
the lies that hurt, and bring trouble every 
time.” She was happy. And it was in a 
happy mood that John’s letter was answered. 
“Yes, John,” said she, “we will come. With 
a kindly word I will say, ‘We will.’ ” Tightly 
clutching it in her hand, happily she tripped to 
the Post Office with it herself, for in no other 
hands would she trust it. After that was per- 
formed, she returned to her work. 

The world looked different to her now. 
Everything seemed brighter. There was mu- 
sic in her very soul, and she could not prevent 
it from overflowing- Her mistress noticed it, 
and smiled. Companion workers noticed it. 


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smiled and went their way. A cautious wink 
told each other that something out of the ordi- 
nary had overtaken Bertha and they were all 
happy for it. She was merrily making her way 
down the vestibule of the old hotel and on her 
way to her room, to make a change of clothing, 
when she came to a sudden halt. Her hands 
covered her face, and she wavered toward the 
wall, to prevent herself from falling. ‘'God. 
What — what if mother won’t give me my 
child?” Her face was ashey white. Trembling 
like a leaf she made her way to her room, and 
flinging herself into a chair, again she buried 
her face in her hands. “What am I to do?” 
she asked herself, as those threats that her 
mother had made to her now crowded in upon 
her bewildered brain. “I never thought of 
that,” she moaned. “What shall I do?” 

There was no solution to that problem forth- 
coming. She felt feint and the song had now 
left her lips, as tho in mockery to her plight. 
“Had I but thought,” she cried- “Oh, but I 
can’t, I can’t give up my boy, I can’t, I must 
not do that.” It was with some elfort that she 
made herself ready and returned to her duties, 
the same quiet, timid, downhearted little 
Bertha as before. Her mistress again noticed 
the change, and asked her if she was ill. She 
said that she was, but that she would be all 
right in a little while. 

“A sudden feintness has come over me, and 
I don’t know what to do.” “Well,” said the 
kind hearted mistress, “you go to your room 


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123 


till you are better. We will try and get along 
without you.’’ 

She did, and throwing herself upon her bed 
she resorted to that remedy that is known to 
womankind the world over — tears. Tears, 
yes, bitter tears. But what is woman without 
her tears? Whether they be tears of joy or 
tears of sorrow, what can equal a woman’s 
tears? Rachel weeping for her childien and 
refuseth to be comforted, for they were not. 
Is there a man in the length and breadth of the 
universe that can realize a true meaning of 
those words ? There is not ; those words re- 
main for woman alone to interpret and write 
them with their tears- 

She kept to her room the remainder of the 
day, and it was well toward morning when 
troubled dreams caught her in their folds. 
But when morning came, a decided look in her 
eye said that she had reached a decision of 
some kind. Yes, we must all win mother. And 
she thought that John was the one to do it. 
She had asked him to come and see her as soon 
as he could find it convenient, and when he 
arrived, they together would advance upon 
mother. But mother had warned her never 
to hint to John that Freddie belonged to any 
other than Helen. And now if it was made 
known to her that John was in full possession 
of the facts, it would expose her base and 
treacherous conduct as regarded the matter, 
and possibly be the means of lowering them 
all in John’s estimation. No, that will never 


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do. ‘'I will keep her in the dark/’ she said as 
to where John is in the light, and the whole af- 
fair will then necessarily hinge upon the im- 
pression that John makes with mother, and he 
will have to abide by her decision, for I never 
can give up my child. 

’Twas a torturous task, and the seriousness 
robbed her of what should have been happy 
days to her- But her dream of happy days 
now depended upon the results. She loved to 
think of the happy side, her John, her Freddie, 
— and her home. Yes, home. Where she 
could meet strange faces and again look them 
straight in the eye. Where she could fill her 
place as a woman among women, and no one 
to bar the way. Could she do it? She could. 
For John’s sake, for his people’s sake, and for 
her boy’s sake she could. She hoped for the 
best, that was all that she could do. The rest 
was for John. Unconsciously he must weave 
a web around mother’s heart, if he would 
weave a home for her and her boy. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


The predominant feature that will ever 
separate humanity from the animal kingdom 
is the fact that the Almighty has bestowed 
upon humanity the power to distinguish right 
from wrong. He not only bequeathed to us a 


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125 


reasoning power, that can be found in nothing 
else, but He provided for our special benefit, 
a fixed set of rules for the purpose of guiding 
along down the path of life in the easiest and 
simplest manner. He wanted us to keep our 
footsteps pointed in the right direction, and 
He wanted to enable us to do so without us 
overtaxing our mentalities in the least, in mak- 
ing the distinction between the right path and 
the wrong one. And as a still further incen- 
tive toward right-doing, rewards that are most 
glorious in their character, and far reaching 
in their scope, have been promised to all who 
will see fit to obey the few commandments that 
were issued to us. It has been made beauti- 
fully plain to us, that we have all to gain and 
nothing to loose. We are provided with a 
workshop that we are all loath to leave, re- 
gardless of all of the golden promises as to our 
future rewards He placed our work before us, 
and placed everything in our hands to work 
with. And to simplify matters still farther, 
He sent His only begotten Son to show us how 
to accomplish and obtain the results that He so 
expected. One of His own most important 
achievements was the reproduction of His 
very own self and we are supposed to be that 
reproduction. There was nothing left His 
hand unless it bore the seal of inspection, and 
that seal certified that everything was good. 
Then the job was turned over to us together 
with His abiding faith that we would perform 
our duties in a way that would be entirely 


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satisfactory. We have talked, and are still 
talking, of the faith that we have in Him, 
but our faith is not a dot as compared to the 
faith He placed in us. He asked of us no im- 
possibilities, and demanded only what was 
within the reach of everybody's abilities to ful- 
fill. 

One of the natural propensities that arrived 
here with us, is our hunger for knowledge- 
We are natural born seekers after the truth. 
That fact any parent in the land can easily 
testify to. You can stave your little child oft 
with a fish story for a while, but that child 
is going to pick up any stray thread that may 
appear in the yarn that you have so ingen- 
iously woven for its benefit, and trail it with 
a persistency that a Pinkerton never knew. 
You may tell your little Alice that tea will 
make little girls black, and little Bobbie may 
swallow the story about tobacco being poison, 
and about the first thing that is going to be- 
wilder their little minds, is that Mamma don't 
get black, in fact she is the very Whitest 
Mamma that they ever knew ; while Papa need 
not be at all surprised if little Bobbie interro- 
gates him some day as to the reasons he can 
give for his endeavors to kill himself every 
day with tobacco. Then you are up against a 
proposition that every parent has had more or 
less experience in, that of covering up one lie 
with another. And the results of their own 
simple little investigations, is going to be the 
fact that the only thing that has been either 


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127 


blackened or poisoned is the pure and innocent 
little minds of your own children. You have 
told them both that it is wicked to lie, yet you 
have told them more lies than they could pos- 
sibly tell you, therefore plainy leaving the 
impression stamped into their characters, that 
if it was right for you to falsify your actions 
to them, that it will also be right for them to 
treat their own oflfspring in the same mannerj 
So it would look quite reasonable, that inas- 
much as they have been placed in our care, in 
all of their pure simplicity, that one of the 
duties that was expected of you, was to keep 
them pure, by remaining pure yourself. For 
the commandment that “Thou shalt not lie’’ 
was meant for you, as well as them. Those 
are simple facts that no one will be the wiser 
for reading them, for they are already known 
to everyone. But they are mighty good things 
to have sticking around as reminders that they 
still are facts. 

Freddie was no exception to the rufe- His 
little mind was just as absorbent as the mind 
of any child. There was a mystery involved 
in his young life that, thank God, but few 
children are asked to decipher. “It is funny,” 
said he, “dat nobody will tell me. I fought 
sure Elsie would tell me but when I ask her, 
she try. And den Elsie’s Mamma pick me up 
in her arms, an’ she say dat I fin’ out some 
day. Of torse I will fin’ out, for when Uncle 
John tomes, I bet he will tell me. An’ I des 
b’lieve Helen tol’ Uncle John a story, when 


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she say dat she is my Mamma, for I tant have 
only one Mamma an' one Papa, an' it say in 
Elsie's big book, dat we tan have only one Dod. 
But I des like to know what for Elsie try. 
Her Mamma say dat she try tose she like me, 
an' I des bet she want to be my Mamma, too, 
an’ she try tose her Mamma would'nt let her. 
But I des don't tare how many Mamma's I 
dot, I des do'n to have two Papa's, I do'n to 
teep my ole Papa an' Uncle John, an' dat’s all 
I want. Say but Unkle John is dood to me, 
an' he will des be the bes' Papa dnt I dot. He 
div me nice wagon, an' sled, an’ he buy me 
nice tlose for winter, an' nice tlose for Sun- 
day, an' when Papa want a sheep Mamma she 
des write to Uncle John, an' tell him dat our 
little boy wants a sheep, an' Uncle John dets 
one for him. Say but he is dood- I des wish 
dat I tould write, I would write Uncle John 
a long, long letter, and I would fin' out when 
he is toming, an' I would have a whdle lot 
apples an' lot of dood things for him when he 
tom^es. But Elsie say dat she do by the big 
town stool, an' when she tomes home she will 
learn me to write, an’ to read an’ to say my 
letters fas' ; an' den when I do to stool I learn 
to read th' paper what they make in St. Paul, 
an' when I det to be big man, I have Uncle 
John show me how to make big sheanery like 
Helen say he make. An' I take Papa an' 
Mam — No I des won't take Mamma, tause 
Mamma all th' time stolds, but I take Papa an' 
Bertha an' if Elsie tomes home from stool, I 


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take her too, an’ we all do an’ live with Unde 
John, at his house. An’ I bet we have a dood 
time, tause Unkle John say in letter, dat he 
likes to have everybody happy, an’ Bertha say 
dat Unkle John is th’ kin’est man in th’ whole 
work. An’ I des wish he would tome. Den 
we have lots of fun, wouldn’t we, Shep?” asked 
he, as he threw his arms around his faithful 
dog’s neck. 

It was a bright September day. The air 
was just a little cool, but on the sunny side of 
the barn where ah' this conversation was tak- 
ing place between Freddie and himself, it was 
warm and cheerful. He was seated in his lit- 
tle wagon, and Shep seated at his feet. His 
elbows resting one on each knee and his fair 
German cheeks resting in the palms of his 
hands, when Papa who had just stepped into 
the barn, and hearing the sound of voices on 
the outside, stepped out again, and around to 
the corner where he stood for a minute, acting 
in the capacity of an eaves-dropper. But as 
the ever alert eye of Shep turned in that direc- 
tion, his bushy, tail began a tattoo on the 
ground, and bespoke to Freddie that some one 
lurketh near- He looked around and into the 
eyes of Papa. 

‘Well,” said Papa, “and who are you talk- 
ing to, and what’s it all about ?” 

“Oh,” replied Freddie, “I was des tallking to 
myself an’ Shep, an’ we des talk about what a 
dood fellow Unkle John is. An’ I des wish he 
would tome.” 


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“Yes,” said Papa, “I guess Uncle John is a 
pretty good sort of a fellow, and one thing 
sure, he has been pretty good to you, my boy, 
and you should like him the very best kind of 
a way.” 

“You des bet I like him,” quickly replied 
Freddie, “an’ when he tomes I am do’ing to 
have lots of dood things for him, an’ den I am 
do’ing to ask him, an’ fin’ out all about my 
Mammas an’ I des know he will tell me all 
about it.” 

“Find out about what, child? Why, what 
in the world are you talking about?” asked 
Papa, as the blow had the effect of drawing 
him closer instead of forcing him away, and 
picking up a small piece of a board that lay at 
his feet, he placed it across the top of the little 
v/agon box, and seating himself upon it, he 
drew the little fellow between his knees, and 
asked him what it was that he was bothering 
his little head about. 

“Well,” said Freddie, “I des know dat dare 
is something th’ matter, for Helen she tel! 
I hikle John dat she is my Mamma. An’ Mam- 
ma det mad an’ stold bofe Helen an’ Bertha 
an’ make dem bofe try. An’ Bertha she say 
dat she don’t want Helen to tell Uncle John 
dat, about her boy, for she say dat she don’t 
want her baby to be like pigeon. An’ Mamma 
dot awful mad, an’ she stold Bertha an’ she 
tell her dat she don’ tare if I is her baby, dat 
she is do’n to teep me, an’ Bertha tant never 
take me away a’tall. An’ Bertha try like 


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everytmg. An’ when Bertha went upstairs, 
and lay on th’ bed and try, I ask her who is 
my Mamma, an’ she tiss me, an say dat I fine 
out some day. But I want to fine out now- 
So I do over to Elsie’s house, an’ I ask her, 
an’ she tiss me an’ she try des like Bertha. 
An’ her Mamma take me in her arms, an’ say 
dat I fine out some time too. An’ I ask what 
makes Elsie try, an’ her Mamma say its tause 
Elsie like me. An’ I des bet Elsie wants to be 
my Mamma too an her Mamma won't let her. 
How many Mammas tan a little boy have 
Papa ?” 

His old Papa’s arms lightened about him, as 
he drew the little fellow closer, as he said, 
‘‘You can have only one Mamma dear child, 
but what is the use of you bothering your little 
head about that? Yes dear boy, you will find 
out some day. 

“An’ tan a little boy have only one Papa?” 
he asked. 

“That is all, replied Papa, and I am your 
one Papa. 

“Yes,” said he, “but I want Unde John to 
be my Papa too when he tomes, for I des 
know dat he will be the bes’ Papa in the whole 
world. An’ I want to teep you too, an’ we all 
do and live with Uncle John at his house. An’ 
I take Shep, an’ my wagon an’ sled, an’ we 
hitch old Bob on the big wagon, an’ take 
Bertha, an’ Helen, an’ Elsie, an’ we leave 
Mamma here all lone, den she will des have 
to stold herself. An’ I bet she will be mad.’’ 


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Mr- Wish knew that it was wrong to let the 
child go along with that prattle, and to build 
up such plans as that in his little mind, but 
never since the first day of his wedded life had 
he heard a conversation that was in such strict 
accordance with his own wishes. And while 
the little boy was dreaming aloud there was a 
dream chasing itself through his old soul that 
he was loath to shake olr. The innocent prat- 
tle of that child had spread a picture before 
his mind's eye that he knew not of, and he 
was scanning it to its uttermost depths. Colors 
of peace and harmony were flowing from that 
child's tongue that held him spellbound, like in 
a trance. It was the day dream that had so 
often entered his head, but never before had 
it entered by way of his ears. It was the rap- 
turous music of joy vibrating through a tired 
old heart that accounted for the smile of con- 
tentment that spread over his features, and 
held him to his seat. 

It was not until the little boy grasped and 
shook his arm, when he asked when he thought 
Uncle John would come, that the spell was 
broken, and he was back face to face with the 
same old realizations, as of the true conditions 
that existed in reality, and not in dreams. '"I 
don't know when he vdll come, Freddie, maybe 
not at all, but I think by the way your Ma — 
by the way Bertha talks, that he will be here 
to see us before long, and it now looks to me 
as tho a part at least of your plans may come 
true. But let us not talk about it child till he 


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133 


does come, for maybe when he learns the truth 
he won’t want to be your Papa.’' 

“Oh yes he will," quickly replied that little 
urchin, “for Ber<-ha say he does, an’ Bertha 
say she like him too. An’ she say for me to 
be dood boy an’ be dood to Mamma an’ den 
Cncle John will love me. An’ I is. I is doing 
to be des as dood as I tan be, an’ I do’ing 
right in th’ house now an’ tiss Mamma- I 
don’ tare if she do stold, I do’ing right in an’ 
tiss her.’’ 

Freddie was impulsive. To think was to act 
with him, so away he ran, leaving his Papa, 
still seated on the little wagon, soberly medi- 
tating on the conditions of life, as they were, 
and what they might have been. It was exert- 
ing the diplomacy of the entire family to keep 
the truth from that boy, and as to how much 
longer it could be done, time alone could tell. 
He would soon be going to school, and would 
be mingling with other children, and then it 
was feared that what other children had over- 
heard in their own home circle would be 
poured into his own anxious ears to furnish 
fuel to the flame that already was raging in his 
little mind. His part of the debt was yet un- 
paid, and nothing could be evaded, and the 
anxiety that existed was now in regards to the 
manner in which he would meet the part of the 
obligation that had been burdened upon his 
little shoulders. His nature was sensitive, that 
they all knew, and they feared the results, and 
his only known Papa feared them worse than 
any. 


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He loved the child, not for the winning little 
ways of the child alone, but because of the 
child’s mother, for just so sure as there are 
two or more in a family, there are two or more 
choices as to the favorite. Bertha had always 
been his choice, and if her footsteps had led 
her in the wrong direction, he knew as to 
where the responsibility rested. For as he 
had said, the very hours that she stood in need 
of a restraining hand were the very hours that 
an unrestraining hand was urging her along 
into a life of dishonor, and when at last the 
blow did fall those were the very hands that 
bolted the door against her. “Poor girl, I do 
hope,” said he to himself, “that she will make 
a wise choice, in time, and that yet she will be 
able to live down the stain that now clouds her 
life. If she could but take her child, and go 
to parts where her disgrace is not known, I 
feel sure that she has womanliness in her 
make-up for her to easily live down her past- 
And what a blessing it would be for her boy. 
He is bright, as he is good. But will he con- 
tinue to be good when he learns all, or will he 
go to the bad entirelv. It is bred in the bone, 
and I fear that it will take a different influence 
than what now is bearing about him if he is to 
retain the noble 'little character that he now 
possesses. I hope this John will come out of 
the west, I will help him to be her Lochinvar 
if he is the right sort of a fellow. Bertha 
loves him and it would appear that he loves 
her as well. I will ask her to tell him the 


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truth, and if she refuses, I will tell it for her, 
for he shall know. It will be a severe test for 
his loyalty and his love for her, but a thousand 
times better for him to know it at the start, 
than to force it upon him at a time when he 
could not but believe that he had been tricked. 
Yes, he shall know the truth, at any cost. It 
will then be for him to take her as she is, or 
leave her as she is, at his own option. His life 
shall not be blighted by the pangs of remorse 
and disappointment if I can prevent it, and as 
for her, dear girl, who could ask her to bear 
any greater burden than she now is loaded 
down with. 

'‘Yes,’’ he continued, "it would be the 
crowning day of my life, to see her and Fred- 
die peacefully and happily settled down in a 
home of their own. And God grant that my 
wish will come true. I would like to see one 
of my girls at least receive the happiness that 
I have been deprived of, and I would like that 
one to be Bertha. As for Helen, she is happy 
in her way, and that way is the way of her 
mother. Her happiness is to be found, and 
consists of the miseries of others, and the man 
that ties himself to her will be placing himself 
in my shoes exactly, and the only thing that I 
can say will be God help him. She now has 
done her share. She has ruined one man’s 
life, but still she is doing her utmost to 
blighten the lives of others.” 

Just then Freddie made his return, and al- 
most breathlessly he came running up to where 


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Papa sat, and told him that he des better not 
do to th’ house now, tause Mamma was awful 
mad. 

“Well,” said Papa, “what have you been do- 
ing? You told me that you was going to be 
good to mamma, and now you have made her 
mad again. That is not right Freddie, and I 
am sorry you did that.” 

“Well,” said Freddie, “I did try to be dood, 
an’ when I wanted to tiss her she tole me to 
dit out. An’ den I ask her to tell me ’bout 
Uncle John, an’ she say fi didn’t stop talking 
’bout Uncle John, dat she would spank me. 
An’ I tole her if she spank me dat I will tell 
my Papa an’ Uncle John bofe. Den she dot 
mad, an when I run she chase me, an’ Shep 
run in front of her an’ over she went ka- 
smash. An’ I laugh, an Shep he run roun’ her 
an’ bark, an bark, tause when she fall, her 
dwess tome way up, an’ she had on white 
stockings like the boys had on when dey play 
ball, an’ Shep didn’t know who it was, an — ” 

“Yes,” said Papa, “but you must not be 
naughty with Mamma, you know that if you 
are not good to — ” 

“Gee, but Shep ded bark an’ run roun’, an’ 
roun’,” said Freddie, “an’ I dess laugh right 
out loud- What for Mamma wear white 
stockings. Papa? she tant play ball.” 

“No, but young man you will think that she 
is pretty good at the bat if she gets a hold of 
you. No she can’t play ball, but as a rag- 
chewer, she has no equal, and what an umpire 


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137 


she would make. Her decisions would stand 
forever. But you must not do that again 
Freddie, for if you do, she will write and tell 
Uncle John, and then he will not come to see 
us.’' 

‘‘My,” said Freddie, “but I des wish Uncle 
John was dare den, I bet he would laugh. An’ 
Shep he run roun’ an’ roun, an’ — ” 

“Yes,” said Papa, “you’ve went and got us 
in a pretty fix now, and I must go and see 
what has happened.” Papa was enjoying the 
event to the utmost, but he was skilfully cover- 
ing up his pleasure, by rebuking the child, well 
knowing that to exhibit any evidence of pleas- 
ure at the account of the aflfair would only be 
lending encouragement to the lad that would 
add an incentive for further mischievous 
pranks. So he made his way to the house 
where he found Mamma and her temper 
somewhere near the welding heat with rage. 
Shep was seated a short distance from the 
door, a playful look in his eye that bespoke 
that he was ready to put on a second exhibi- 
tion on a minute’s notice. It was plainly evi- 
dent by the way Mamma was stepping around 
the house that the only injury she had received 
was to her pride. And the fact that her own 
anger had worked her own down-fall was not 
adding much joy to the affair for her. 

“What’s the matter, Mamma?” he inno- 
cently inquired, “you don’t look well, have you 
got another of those headaches ?” 

“Headaches, nothing,” hotly replied Mam- 


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ma- ''But if you don’t get that dog and that 
brat of a kid off the place mighty soon, you 
will know what’s the matter. I tell you that 
this little farm is getting too small entirely to 
hold us all, and somebody has got to go. Here 
that little brat comes to the house and slings 
his sauce at me and runs. And when I under- 
take to catch him, and punish him for it, that 
confounded dog runs in the way and I fall 
over him. Oh, he will catch it when he does 
come in.” 

"Yes, but Mamma don’t you think that you 
are just a little too harsh with the boy?” in- 
quired Papa. "We were just talking a short 
time ago and he told me that he was going to 
be good to you, and that he was going to the 
house right then to kiss you, and get you to 
tell him some more about his Uncle John and 
to find out if he could, when he is coming to 
see him.” 

"Oh yes, that darned Uncle John again. I 
am just getting sick and tired of hearing about 
that Uncle John. I wish that I had never heard 
of him. He sure can’t be very much of a fel- 
low or he could find someone nearer home to 
waste his love on, and not have to come way 
down here hunting a wife.” 

"Well,” replied Mr. Wish, "there is more 
than one way to look at that- We could, if 
we so chose, feel just a little proud to think 
that a man would come that distance to pay 
his respects to ouj daughter, and I for one do 
feel rather proud over the fact. You know 


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139 


that he has used us all good, and he couldn’t 
have been much better to Freddie had he been 
his own father. He has provided a happiness 
for him that we ourselves were unable to do, 
and to tell you the truth Mamma, I wouldn’t 
ask for anything better than to be called upon 
to give one of our girls to him.” 

“I don’t suppose that I am to have anything 
to say about that,” sharply broke in Mamma. 

‘Well, I will, you know. Those girls were 
brought up to respect my wishes, and I will 
be the one to show you when the time comes, 
that my wishes wifi be respected, or I will 
know the reason why. You appear to think 
that it is a very slight matter for a mother to 
bring up a family of girls and then have noth- 
ing to say as to what the future outcome will 
be, but I’ll show you all as to that. You can 
just remember that.” 

“Well, so far,” replied Mr. Wish, “it don’t 
look to me as though you had anything very 
much to brag of, in the line of success, and I 
think that if you would let the girls have a 
little more to say about choosing their own 
lot instead of you choosing it for them, mat- 
ters would be a little different, for they are 
children no longer and should by this time have 
a little to say for themselves. Bertha has made 
her mistake, I know, and she knows it too. She 
is trying hard to live down her past mistakes, 
and I, for one, am willing to help her. She can 
yet be a good wife, and I don’t think that it 
should be for us to put one straw in her way.” 


HO THE PAGES OF LIFE 

''Is that so, Mr. Wish? Well just let me 
tell you a thing or two. It was me that 
mothered those girls, and not you, and not 
only that ; I am now called on to care for their 
outlaw offspring. And I know that Bertha 
will never consent to part with her child, and 
since it has been your pleasure to load his 
care upon my shoulders, I am going to see to 
it that the child stays right where he is, until 
I see that he is going where I wish him to 
go. It is my duty as a mother to look after 
the welfare of her own, and I am not going to 
neglect my duties now, not even if my wishes 
do not exactly coincide with yours. Do you 
understand that, Mr. Wish? What do we 
know about that fellow? He might be some 
scape-grace that would be a disgrace to us all, 
how can we tell? 

"Maybe he is,’’ replied Papa, "but I think it 
would be him that was taking the chances and 
not us. Anyway, you dont find many scape- 
graces, as you choose to call him, holding the 
position that he is holding. There is some- 
thing good back of it all, somewhere. But let 
us drop the subject. Mamma, and not borrow 
any more trouble over that. Maybe when he 
comes and sees us all he won’t want any of 
us. And maybe he won’t come at all ; there 
will be plenty of time to cross that stream 
when we get to it.” 

True to her nature of having the last word, 
Mamma sharply replied, "Stream or no 
stream, Bertha has made a fool of herself 


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141 


once, and I am going to see that she don’t re- 
peat it- You can just depend on that, Papa, 
till the very last minute.’’ 

Just then Freddie was wondering what had 
happened to Papa that he was making such a 
lengthened visit to the house, and stealthily 
making his way to the door ventured to look in. 
Finding everything still on the seat of war, he 
advanced. Mamma looking up from where 
she was seated, and seeing him enter, screamed 
at him in a way that if his shoes had not been 
well laced, he would have discarded them 
right there, and left them with her. ‘‘Clean 
off your shoes young man, before you come 
in here.” But satisfying himself that Papa 
was yet alive, he returned back to the porch, 
an getting a broom, went through the regular 
performance of brushing his shoes, whether 
they needed it or not. When Papa came out 
and started toward the barn, he tagged after 
him, for as yet he didn’t feel that it was good 
policy to trust himself on such dangerous 
ground alone, and while past events were so 
fresh in Mamma’s memory. 

“Now,” said Papa to him, after they had 
reached the barn, don’t want you to men- 
tion Uncle John to Mamma again, for she has 
made up her mind that she don’t want to hear 
any more about him, so it is better for us to 
be quiet.” 


142 


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CHAPTER XV. 


Bertha was back at her work. Quiet, down- 
hearted, little Bertha. Her hopes were 
blighted by her fears ; her fears were soothed 
by her hopes. The test was coming; she had 
just received a letter from her John, stating 
that in a few days he would be with het*- 
‘‘God,’’ she said, “what if — But oh, I must 
trust in God that all will be well.’’ Those 
were long, long days to her, but the mills of 
the Gods turn slowly, and in time, time wears 
away. He arrived just a little late for dinner, 
but not too ’late. He v/as again met at the 
depot by the proprietor, who again told him to 
come mit him. And his grips were pushed to 
the same hotel, by the same landlord, and in 
the same cart, as before; and as far as he 
could see, that landlord wore the same over- 
alls, the same colored shirt and the same flat- 
soled shoes as of yore. 

He entered the dining-room. It was de- 
serted, except for one solitary waitress, who 
took his order with the remark that he was 
“shust a leedle bit lade, but I guess we can 
vix you all righd.” After his meal had been 
served to him, he asked her if such a person as 
Bertha Wish could be found there. Yes, she 
could. She vas working by der keetchen in- 
side, ant vas puisy. 


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143 


‘‘Well, will you kindly tell her, after I eat 
my dinner, that there is a fellow in the parlor 
that would like to see her?'’ 

“I vill do dat, tank you,” she replied, and in 
a few minutes she returned with the informa- 
tion that as soon as the dinner was all ofer, 
dat she would be oud dare. 

“Thank you,” returned John, and proceeded 
to get himself outside of a good country-like 
dinner, and when that pleasant job was com- 
pleted, he made his way to where the sign on 
the door read, “Ladies’ Parlor.” It too was 
deserted, so seating himself in a rocker, he 
had nothing to do but to wait. In a few min- 
utes the door quietly opened, and before him 
stood a quiet looking little German lady. 

“Is this Bertha?” he inquired. 

“It is,” she said, as she reached out her hand. 
John grasped it, and drawing her closer, their 
lips for the first time met. He held her to him 
for a moment, looking into each others’ eyes. 

“I hope,” said he, “little girl, that you are as 
well suited with me as I with you.” She was, 
and she proved it, both in looks and action, 
they were then seated and had their first visit. 

“When can you get away, so that we may go 
and see the boy?” he inquired. 

She informed him that at eight in the even- 
ing there was a local train that would take 
them to within easv walking distance of their 
home, and that then they could go and see him. 
And at train time, she would again meet him 
in the parlor. 


144 


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God, dear reader, could he have but read the 
question that was surging in that dear girl’s 
heart- Could he have but read the answer. 
But no, they were not to be read, — they were 
to be felt, not read. Another page of her life 
was to be turned, and the heaviest payment 
of all was to be receipted for. Her hopes 
lent strength to her heart, the whole results 
depended on him, and the weight rested upon 
his shoulders, and him unconscious of it all. 
The mills of the Gods were now turning fast 
for them, but they knew it not. With him his 
happiness was climbing crestward, — so much 
the further for it to fall. Hope, fear, fear, 
hope, mingled together for her, but she kept it 
well covered from him. 

She met him at the appointed time, and they 
were on their way, in a few minutes they 
were at the little depot, near the home of her 
parents, and they soon were there. All was in 
darkness, for her people had retired early, as 
was their custom. Unlocked were the doors 
and she entered, calling to them that it was 
Bertha and the folks from Montana. They 
entered the parlor, but had not long to wait, 
before John’s hand was clasped in the hand 
of father and mother. Bertha had fled, and 
the sound of her voice could be heard descend- 
ing the stairs, where she had hurried to 
awaken her child and break the glad tidings 
to him. 

In the parlor John was having his introduc- 
tory chat with the old folks when two little 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 145 

bare feet could be seen descending the stairs, 
and in a moment two little arms were around 
his neck; too happy to do anything but hug. 
But there were four arms that were hugging, 
and there was a fair little German cheek 
kissed, and at the same instant a grunt came 
from the lips of ^Jotlier that bespoke nothing 
at the time, but later on it roared volumes into 
the hearts of three. 

With Freddie cosily snuggling in his lap, 
one arm thrown around his neck, John was 
experiencing the very happiest minutes of 
his life. For the first time in his career, did 
he feel that there was about to be a responsi- 
bility placed upon his shoulders that pertains to 
the very pinacle of manhood, and the thought 
that before 'long he could claim the respons- 
ibility of this innocent little child thrilled him, 
and filled his heart with pride. Had the child 
been his very own, no greater love could have 
existed than the one that now held their hearts 
linked together. He had loved the child from 
the minute that Helen had first mentioned 
him, and when he had thought that the child 
was hers. He had loved him when Bertha’s 
honest heart had revealed the truth. He had 
loved him for his misfortune, and now he 
loved him because he was going to be his very 
own. He was the link that fate had welded, 
to hold two loving hearts as one. But, dear 
reader, either him or fate had made a mistake, 
for the child was the very link that was hold- 
ing them apart. Their chat led them into the 


146 


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late hours of the night and sleep was essential. 
John was shown to his room, and being tired 
from the effect of a long journey, he was 
soon wrapped in happy slumbers. But there 
were no happy slumbers for Bertha, for after 
John had retired, her mother took her in 
hand and compelled her to watch, through 
tear-dimmed eyes, while she washed the 
treacherous sands from beneath her tower of 
hope, and watch it come crumbling down at 
her feet. 

'Ts that the man,” said her mother angrily 
to her, ‘‘that you intend to tie yourself to for 
life? If it is, young lady, you will have to 
paddle your boat alone- Freddie shall not go 
with you, no, not one inch. You are a fool, 
Bertha, for ever thinking of marrying such a 
man as that. And if you have no better 
sense than that, I will cling to my duty of car- 
ing for your child.” 

Bertha's heart was lead, and her pent up 
emotions only tended to crowd forth the tears. 
She could not talk. Everything, even her 
voice, was lost to her, and the only thing that 
was left to her was the inevitable. Again her 
arm sought the same table that it had sought 
many times before, and again her face sought 
her arm. It was not Rachel weeping for her 
children now, because they were not. It was 
Bertha weeping for her child, because it was. 
She raised her tear stained face to her storm- 
ing and relentless mother and said, “Mother, 
he is as good as any of us, and you have no 
right to slander him. He is better than I.” 


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147 


‘'Well I am sorry/' her cruel mother re- 
marked, “that you have such a small opinion 
of yourself, but take him, if you will. I 
think that I am old enough to be somewhat of 
a judge of men, to know a man when I see 
one- The very idea," she continued, “he is 
almost old enough to be your father, instead 
of your husband, and he has not even good 
looks as a redeeming feature. To tell you the 
truth, Bertha, I really expected to see a big, 
handsome young man. Why he is no bigger 
than your father," she remarT:ed, as tho that 
would be the deciding thrust, “and he is no 
better looking either. Yes you can have him 
Bertha, if you want him," she mockingly re- 
peated, “but I don’t want him for a son-in- 
law, I can assure you of that. And if you 
want to take him, you can take all claim of 
relationship to us along with you, but you 
can’t take Freddie." 

Mr. Wish had retired shortly after John 
and had taken Freddie along with him, and 
the question that the youth had asked of him, 
before he had again departed for dreamland 
was still rolling itself around in his mind. “Is 
we all do’ing back with Uncle John, Papa?" 
vras what the 'little lad had wanted to know. 

‘T don’t know," papa had answered him. 
“'How would you like it if we would let you 
and Bertha go back with him?" 

“Well," replied the lad. “but what would you 
an’ Shep do den." But he answered that ques- 
tion himself by informing papa that they would 


148 


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come back some time, and j^et him an’ the do^ ; 
and upon that decision, he had fallen off to 
sleep. 

But not so with Papa. Sleep was a thing 
that was far from his thoughts at that time. 
He was summing up the different views and 
opinions that he had grasped of the stranger, 
and they were forming themselves into a ver}’ 
tangible whole- He bears the marks of labor, 
said he to himself, but I don’t see any signs 
of dissipation. He is considerable older than 
Bertha, but he is yet in his prime. And he 
is a thinker, his face shows that. Well I sup- 
pose that he would have to be a thinker to hold 
the position that he does, and I have heard the 
girls say that he had inventions of his own. I 
think that he is a pretty good fellow, and 
Bertha would, or could, do no better than to 
get him, and he could do lots worse than to 
get her, for Bertha will make him a good little 
wife, and at that he, too, had gone to sleep. 

But not so with Bertha. She retired to tlie 
bed of her child, but not to sleep. If the dear 
little natives of dreamland were playing with 
his lips and cheeks, the dragons of hell were 
tearing at her heart. Tomorrow she must 
choose between the two, and the decision was 
already made. John must go, for she could 
not part with her child. The child was her 
own flesh and blood, John was only a part of 
her heart. Yes, he must go- The trial of her 
life was now before her, she must part with 
him, and in a way that she knew not of. 


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149 


What excuse could she offer? None. She 
would tell him good-bye, and let him form the 
excuses for himself. The ring — that must 
be given back to him. '‘Oh, God,’’ she cried, 
“why did’nt you take me long ago and spare 
me this torture? But it’s God’s way, and His 
will be done.” 

Morning came, and upon hearing the move- 
ments of others down stairs, John arose and 
descended to the living rooms. He met them 
with a cheery good morning, but the cheerful- 
ness was all on his part, and he soon noticed it. 
Bertha’s features were the picture of despair 
and he noticed that before any. His heart 
sank within him. Father was calm, but cour- 
teous, while the sneer upon mother’s lip, and 
her almost disdainful demeanor, told the tale. 
He was not wanted, and it was mother that 
was the barrier that blocked the way between 
him and happiness. That much was plainly to 
be seen. He could read them like an open 
book, but he could not read the cause. That 
was an open secret to them, a closed one to 
him. Bertha was now cold toward him al- 
though he could see that it hurt her. He tried 
to hide his gloom, but his success at that was 
no better than hers, and it was a glad moment 
to all when the child appeared upon the scene. 
He was happy. The drop of oil upon a raging 
sea. Had he but known, dear child, what he 
was to learn in after years, he would have 
said to his self-ordained mother, “It’s you or 
me, it’s you or me.” But that was the cur- 


150 


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tain of ignorance that was protecting his little 
soul, but slowly, slowly it was rising, and in 
but a short time it would not be necessary for 
him to peek beyond its borders to satisfy his 
anxious and absorbent little mind, as to why 
should the spirit of mortal be sad. That is 
the question, dear reader, that mankind has 
been asking mankind, and nation has been 
asking nation for centuries. But we only have 
to await the rising of the curtain when the 
answer is blazed forth in dazzling rays across 
the stage of life. That it is the inhumanity of 
other mortals toward their fellow beings, and 
the thoughtless disregard that we have for the 
morrow, that is making nations weep today. 

Breakfast over, and the fact that it would 
be afternoon before another train would be 
running back to town, John resolved that he 
would kill the time as best he could, in com- 
pany with Freddie. They took to the little 
forest of oaks that stood dose by, rambling 
along its paths, picking the fallen acorns that 
lie strewn upon the ground, and would have 
had what could be called a merry good time 
had it not been for the weight that bore down 
upon his heart. Freddie was in the heigths 
of his glory, for he was with his Uncle John, 
and that fact lent its ray of light to the dis- 
mal gloom of the situation- The time was 
drawing near for the mid-day meal, and they 
made their way back to the house. John was 
met with a distant courtesy by both Bertha 
and her mother. But that now did not dis- 


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151 


appoint him, for he expected nothing better. 
He began his preparations for his return back 
to town with Bertha and then the return to 
nis home in the west. 

Train time was nearing. He heard a re- 
mark made by Bertha to her mother that she 
did not care to be at the depot a minute too 
soon, for she did not want her friends to be 
gazing at her and her companion. God, thought 
John, they feel that I am a disgrace to them, 
and was about at the point where he would 
pick up his grips and make his way to the 
depot alone, when upon second thought he 
told himself no, for that would be uncivil, and 
that would Stand out as an act that I would 
afterward be sorry that I committed. He had 
noticed, as Bertha had made ready for the re- 
turn, that the ring which had encircled her 
finger, and which had been the band to bind 
their troth to each other, was now not visible. 
Neither was the necklace that had encircled 
her neck, but in her hand she carried a little 
package that he had surmised contained them 
both. In that he was not mistaken. He 
reached out his hand, and bid her father and 
mother good bye. But as he did so Mr. Wish 
questioned, ‘Why, you are not going to leave 
us so soon are you? Why don’t you leave 
your suit-case here and return for a good 
visit with us?” 

“Oh,” replied Mrs. Wish, “he will probably 
need that along with him.” In that remark it 
was plainly to be seen that she, at least, wanted 


152 


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to -see no more of him, so he remarked to Mr. 
Wish that he would have to be returning to 
his labors. It was then that a shade darkened 
the fatherfs features, and the fact flashed 
across his mind that things were not as he had 
hoped for. His eyes sought mother's, and was 
answered by a defiant glance that told him, as 
well as John, that their hopes were crushed. 

The return back to her place of employment 
was made in almost silence on their parts, but 
there were two hearts and two minds that 
were working overtime, as the short journey 
was made. And as arrangements had been 
made for them to attend the theater together 
that evening, he determined as they entered 
tlie parlor of the old hotel that he would learn 
his fate, or at least learn whether there were 
any foundation upon which he had based his 
surmises. As she seated herself he asked her, 
as he took her hand in his, how long it would 
be before she would name the happy day. She 
replied that as her debt of gratitude was so 
great to her parents, that in order for her to 
repay them for the expense they had been put 
to for her sake, she had decided to await un- 
til after Christmas. ‘'Can I help you to repay 
them?" He asked. 

‘‘Yes, you can," she answered, and at that 
his hopes again arose. He put his arm around 
her shoulders, and kissed her on the lips. 
Then, and not till then, could he read the per- 
fidy of woman. She drew from him as tho she 
abhored him, and he knew then that all was at 


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153 


an end. There was no more foundations upon 
which to build, and he decided to pass the 
evening with her and mention the subject no 
more. Her mind and her heart had both been 
poisoned against him, and the fateful fangs 
could be plainly seen in her actions. 

She told him that she would have to return 
to her duties and that when they were com- 
pleted, she would be ready to attend the thea- 
ter with him. He made ready and waited, and 
was out upon the balcony when she appeared, 
together with another of her working com- 
panions. Approaching him, she handed to 
him the little package that she had carried in 
her hand from her home. While doing so she 
coldly informed him that here was his ring 
and other presents to her, and that he was no 
longer wanted, and without stopping to take 
his hand in a farewe’ll grasp, she said good 
bye, walked off, and left him standing. His 
tower had fallen, this time to rise no more. 

There was only one thing now left for him 
to do, that was to take his departure out of 
her presence as soon as possible. There was 
a train due in a few minutes, he secured his 
grips, settled his account with the proprietor, 
and boarded the train for home. He was a 
sadder, but wiser man. She, poor girl, was a 
wiser but sadder woman. He did not blame 
her, for he had read the hand writing upon the 
wall since early morning, and he knew the 
cause of it all. He had failed to meet her 
mother’s approval and she had blocked the 


154 


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way. He now recalled to mind the glutteral 
grunt of disapproval that had passed her 
mother’s lips as he had kissed the child he 
loved, and that had loved him. He recalled 
to mind the defiant glances that had pierced 
forth from her Teutonic eye^ and the quick 
and curt replies that came from her during 
their conversations. Yes^ she had been the 
death-blow to his aspirations, as well as the 
thorn that pierced the side of her very own 
daughter. Could he blame Bertha? No. She 
was under the burden of an obligation, as in 
regards to her child^ and her mother’s wishes 
must be respected. No, poor girl, he pitied 
not censured her. 

Upon reaching the city, from whence he 
was to take his departure for his western 
home and people, and while in the quiet of his 
room, he wrote a few lines and mailed them 
back to her. He asked her if she thought 
that he had committed anything that was de- 
serving of such treatment, and in the morning 
started on his way west. It was a different 
journey than it had been to him such a short 
time before. He then was traveling toward 
the ones he loved. Now, he was departing 
from the ones that hated him. In one, a 
self born hatred, the others, love in their 
hearts, hatred in their fears. A fear that is 
akin to the one that gives man a power over 
the dumb beasts, offsetting the strength of 
the lion with the weakness of the lamb- Pic- 
ture for yourselves, if you will, the monstrous 


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155 


denizens of the African forests submitting 
sublimely to the will of man, and he not of 
one-hundredth part their strength, and you 
will have a fair picture of the control some 
mortals have over everything but themselves. 
Once let those beasts break from the bonds of 
that fear, let him once turn the tables on his 
tormentor, and he is savagely aware of the 
change of affairs ever after, and man is, too. 
The only prestige that man has over the dumb 
beast is through the fear that the beast pos- 
sesses of man, and tho the beast is slow ^o 
learn that fact, he is just as slow to forget it 
when once he has it learnecT. 

John reasoned that it was that same fear 
that held Bertha tightly in the grasp of her 
mother’s power, but as to why he knew not. 
He knew that the love that she had greeted 
him with when first they had met, was a 
true love. He knew that it was no spon- 
taneous burst of emotional rapture, that is 
so often accredited to love at first sight, for 
she had loved him before she had met him, 
and he knew that it was nothing short of fear 
that could annul the regards that had been 
born in her heart for him. He arrived at his 
home, but no answer came to the letter he had 
sent to her. He decided that it would do no 
harm to write again, for he thought that after 
she had learned that hundreds of miles stood 
between her and him, that perhaps she would 
write and explain all, but in that he was 
again mistaken. For in the course of time he 


156 


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found his letter returned to him and written 
across the back of it was the information that 
she never wanted to hear from him again, and 
that he was to banish a'll thoughts of her and 
her child from his mind. That was a hard re- 
quest and one that no man could fulfill, and 
he wrote and told her so. He told her that 
as she had seen fit to break the most solemn 
promise one can pledge to another, that he 
would give up his love for her but not for the 
child. He would think of him as yet his very 
own, and that maybe at some future time the 
child could reward him for the faith that she 
herself had broken, and that she would hear 
from him, if in no other way, than through 
the medium of the child. 

''The child loves me,^’ he said, "and I love 
him, and there is no reason that our love should 
be prevented, except that I have performed 
some misdeed that would affect his morals, 
which I have not. I have told you the truth, he 
wrote, on every occasion, and I took it for 
granted that you was one of the most truthful 
little women or you never would have made the 
confession to me that you did, and it was that 
exhibition of honesty upon the part of your- 
self that gave birth to the love I had for you. 
Now you ask me to forget it. It is an 
impossible request and one that I cannot 
promise. Your letters, said he, will remain in 
my possession, I will guard them with a 
jealous care, if for no other reason than to 
remind me in times to come of things, things 


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157 


that might have been. As for the few other 
tokens that came from you, I will return them. 
But the child is welcome to all that he has 
received from me and I will gladly keep his 
innocent little affections, in return for the 
ones I gave to him.” 

Time rolled on, as time is wont to do. 
^Months had fled when the unexpected hap- 
pened. A letter arrived from her mother, in- 
closing a sweet little missive to Uncle John, 
from Freddie. He answered the motheffs 
letter, but not the child's. It had been the 
wish of the child’s mother that he was to be 
forgotten, and he reasoned that he had no 
right to disregard the wishes of its mother 
]>ertaining to her own child, and he obeyed 
that impulse. Yes, he answered the letter that 
had come from lier mother, and in a careful 
way he recited to her the exact situation of 
the case, and read to her the verdict- He 
blamed her for it all. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


But a few short years ago, the native Red- 
man of the west mounted his cay use at the 
door of his wigAvam, and riding forth from out 
of the cedar lined coulee’s of the Bad-lands, 
appeared at the edge of the bluffs and shading 
his eyes with his hand, peered out over the 


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tops of the cottonwoods and to the westward. 
Before him wallowing in a sea of plenty were 
his only maintenance, his staff of life — the 
buffalo. Countless hundreds were busily en- 
gaged in satisfying their inner selves upon the 
nutritious blades freshened by the falling mists 
of the evening before. They were safe — and 
they knew it. For the mighty Yellowstone 
whirled between him and them, and formed 
a barrier between them and danger. A few 
hours later the same Redman appeared on the 
bluffs to the westward, and shading his eyes 
with his hand, gazed to the East. Looking 
down upon the same miriads of hides and 
hoof, he had them in his grasp ; for the same 
Yellowstone whirled between them and safety. 
They had sought safety in the very trap that 
had worked their destruction. But not for all 
— for that Indian was a savage and a savage 
takes only what is needed. He has a thought 
for the morrow, for others, as well as himself. 

But a few short years ago a mounted guar- 
dian of the peace rode out from the same 
cedar lined coulee, peering out over the same 
cotton-woods, spied the smoke as it curled up- 
ward from the filth stained teepees of the 
redman where the scent of cooking beef was 
filling the air, and the beef itself was filling 
the Indian- He returned, and in a few hours 
he, too, appeared to the westward. Shading 
his eyes with his hand, he peered down upon 
his prey. He had them in his grasp, for the 
same mighty Yellowstone whirled between the 


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savage and civilization, and the troops barred 
the way between him and safety. The savage 
had been so intensely absorbed in gorging 
himself that he had neglected to take unto 
himself the lesson that he had just demori- 
strated to the buftalo. He, too, had worked 
himself into the same trap, and it had worked 
his own destruction. The Pilgrims were pro- 
gressing, not in dream, but reality, and naught 
should bar their way, even tho it takes barbar- 
ity to blaze the trail for civilization to follow 
after. 

Then came a period of about ten years, that 
every true-blooded resident of the west to- 
day, would like to have blotted from its his- 
tory. It marks the period of devastation to 
wild life upon the plains. If ever a period of 
thoughtless destruction was exhibited to its 
fullest extent, it was between the years of ’65 
and ’70, that sounded the death-knell to the 
American Bison, and that without the least 
pretentions of an excuse. We not only 
allowed our own human vultures to satisfy 
their carnal lust in an unwarranted slaughter 
of that bovine specie, but we allowed a diass 
of un-namable creatures to come here from 
foreign shores to satisfy their greed as well. 
What specie they belonged to has never yet 
been deciphered. They were not human, for 
they lacked the fundamental principles of live 
and let live, that by rights, as we are told, be- 
longs to humanity. They cannot be classed 
with the carniverous brutes that gorge their 


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stomachs and then quit till hunger overtakes 
them again. They are in a class by them- 
selves as far as this world is concerned, and 
should be in the next. And the greatest thing 
that we can be thankful for, as in regards to 
them, is that they, too have followed the buf- 
falo. And tho they left the hundreds of 
thousands of skeletons bleaching where they 
fell, to mark the last resting place of an un- 
protected quarry and as a monument to their 
un wan ton greed, we, too, are thankful that 
we had the forethought to place six feet of 
earth between them and ourselves, where they 
at least will be out of sight, if not out of the 
memory, of man. 

'Next came an era that brought with it hap- 
pier memories, for it marks the advent of the 
rancher. He came into the west, bringing 
with him everything he possessed, his prop- 
erty, his desires and his open-hearted hospi- 
tality, but his laws and his ideas of justice 
were born where he stood. He built his cabin 
where formerly stood the wigwam, he turned 
his thousand hoofs loose upon the thousand 
hills, rode his cayuse to the edge of the bluffs 
where whirls the mighty Yellowstone, shaded 
his eyes with his hand and gazed out upon 
the multiplicity of his own possessions. He 
was monarch of all he surveyed, for as yet it 
was No Man’s Land. He trusted to nature 
and nature did her part. His greatest toil was 
that of gathering in his wealth, no man dis- 
puted him his rights, for in those days dis- 


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putes were quicklly settled. At times the se- 
verity of the elements tried his soul, but it 
never tried his courage. Keys were unknown 
to him, and the latch-string extended outward, 
his larder was always supplie'd whether he was 
there or not, and no wanderer left his shelter 
suffering from the pangs of hunger, and no 
wanderer took more than what was needed. 
It was the custom in those days to leave the 
frying pan on the stove, and when it was not 
in use it was always clean, for no wayfarer 
left a dirty dish behind him. There were al- 
ways enough provisions left in the cabin to 
carry anyone that happened along through a 
stormy period, and all that was expected of 
him in return was to leave the utensils clean, 
and to go and do 'likewise. That was a frater- 
nal custom that seldom was abused. 

Others followed him, always taking up their 
abode and making their headquarters on one 
of the many crystal-like streams that flowed 
from the abundant and never failing springs, 
that gave them their source in the foot-hills. 
Their herds mingled together, if they so chose, 
and roamed at will over the entire country. 
If the rancher chose for himself a garden spot, 
to help supply his table, he fenced in that spot 
to keep the roaming cattle out, and that was 
all the restrictions they knew. But that was 
too good to continue as a reality. The small 
rancher made his appearance and with him 
came trouble. He would turn a few head of 
cows upon the range, and the way that they 


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would multiply would be something marvel- 
ous. In fact the writer has in mind one cow 
that was in the habit of giving birth to nine or 
ten calves each year. iBut the lariat and 
branding iron were very important factors as 
in regards to their growth in numbers. 

Sheep men then made their appearance, 
bringing along with them more trouble, for 
the cattleman has about as much love for the 
sheep herder as the toad has for the snake. 
Tho their rights and their purposes may be 
identical, sheep soon ruins a range for cattle 
raising purposes, to the extent that it takes 
years after the sheep has departed for nature 
to get it back into the condition that it for- 
merly possessed- But as the old saying goes^ 
every dog has his day and the cats have their 
night. Along came the cats, but not of the 
feline specie. They came in the form of the 
farmer and home seeker. Now the buffalo is 
gone, the Indian is gone, the rancher is gone. 
We ride to the edge of the bluffs not on our 
cayuse but in our upholstered touring car, 
we need not shade our eyes with our hand, 
for our whole bodies are shaded, but we may 
peer out over the same cotton-woods, and over 
the same swirling Yellowstone, and on a far 
different picture than that spread before our 
eyes but a few short years ago. 

The mighty Yellowstone has lost its might; 
it is now harnessed, and serving the will of 
man. The thousand of hills are covered with 
fields of golden grain and the vales are seas 


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163 


of emerald ; their lengths are measured by 
ribbons of steel with cities and towns as foot- 
marks. Modern structures of education, ta- 
pering spires of religion, smoke-stained stacks 
of industry, and towering walls of commerce 
now go to mark the scenes of the savage Red- 
man of but a few short years ago. 

In the lower Yellowstone Valley, sur- 
rounded by a net-work of irrigation ditches, 
and ’mid the bountiful supply of peace and 
plenty stands the thriving little city of Sidney. 
It too marks the Pilgrim’s Progress, not in 
dream but in reality. The siren blasts of the 
steam whistle resounds in the stead of the 
howling coyotte ; the dirty teepee of the savage 
and the mud-covered roof of the rancher has 
given way to the science of modern building; 
the hoof-beaten trails of years gone by are 
now the macadamized roads of the auto, and 
last, but not least, it not only marks the trail 
of the star of empire but it marks the home 
of John Rhodes, the hero of this story. 

If we could spread upon these pages, dear 
reader, the picture of some moss-covered old 
borough in some moss-grown district of Bri- 
tony, some tile-crested village that rests on 
the sunny slopes of France, Italy or Spain, or 
some vine-clad little hamlet that lay hidden 
amongst the gnarled and distorted forms and 
spreading branches of those poetic old elms 
that line New England’s shores, we perhaps 
could lend a touch of beauty to these lines, but 
we can’t. We expect its pages to be read by 


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an awakened people, and for that reason, we 
have chosen for our characters ones who are 
fully awake to the beauties and sunshine of 
life, or are awakening to its shadows and sor- 
rows. As John Rhode, who is and has been 
alive as to what constitutes a true manhood ; 
as Elsie, who is and has been a live factor in 
demonstrating the beauties to be found in an 
ideal womanhood since the minute she inhaled 
her first breath of western air, so, too, has 
Sidney been a live factor in producing a peace 
and prosperity that is essential to the make- 
up of an ideal town. Therefore, we have 
done as you would have us do in no other way 
— we have seen to it that each comes into a 
rightful possession of their own, while no 
more fitting companions could exist, nor could 
they exist in a more fitting location. 

It was the desire of John to work his way 
into a field of honor, not at the expense of 
others’ misfortunes, but as a reward for their 
upbuilding. It was the desire of Elsie to work 
the field of honor toward her, not as a reward 
for her self-made efforts, but as proof to the 
wQ.i*ld that it was a misfortune that there were 
not more like her- And it was the desire of 
Sidney to gladly welcome such people, and 
number them along with their own, for it 
takes the likes of John Rhode to make two 
blades grow where one had grown before, it 
takes the likes of Elsie to imbibe the spirits 
that make such men, and it takes the likes of 
Sidney to hold them. A wheel within a wheel, 


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every cog meshing in its proper place, and all 
tending toward the one objective purpose — 
that of home and happiness. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


As could be expected of such an energetic 
and industrous little city as Sidney, the educa- 
tional problems were receiving their just con- 
siderations, and keeping pace with the times. 
Disappointments followed the efforts of the 
acting school boards, but those disappoint- 
ments were always in regards to the size of 
the buildings. Schoolhouse followed school- 
house, each one doubling the predecessor in 
seating capacity, only to prove when com- 
pleted that it too was far too small. Mr. 
Rhode, John’s foster father, was an active 
member on the board. Of late, as he had 
watched the trend of affairs and saw that it 
was an unnecessary and useless expenditure 
of money to continue in the ways that had 
been theirs, he had been a steady and energetic 
advocate of larger and better schools. His 
plans at last had been looked upon with favor, 
and he had seen his hopes realized and his 
ambitions crowned with sucess. John had 
been sent to distant parts and had returned 
with plans of the most modern structures that 
could be found, his plans had been adopted. 


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and now a school that would have been a 
credit to any city of much greater size stood 
as a monument to their thoughtfulness for the 
morrow — modern in every respect, and an 
ornament to the city. But what does a mod- 
ern school mean without a modern teacher? 
Nothing. But the modern teachers were com- 
ing, or wanted to come, for of late the mails 
pertaining to the school affairs were flooded 
with applications from far and near. 

Among the lot that had fallen to the hands 
of Mr. Rhode was one that seemed to possess 
more than the ordinary amount of interest to 
him. It was from a young lady that gave as 
her home address a little town in Minnesota 
that possessed more than the ordinary amount 
of interest to his son. 'Mr. Rhode had often 
heard of the little town, through his boy's 
mention, but it was not that which was the 
cause of his reading that letter over and over 
again, it was a ring of honesty and fairness 
which it contained that touched the spot where 
honest judgment lies. 

will not bothej you, it went on to say, 
with records of my past experiences, for past 
experience spells but little in the line of future 
success. I will only ask you to give me an 
open contract and a trial. As to my merits, 
you shall be the judge, and at any time that 
my merits prove themselves below the stand- 
ard, you are at liberty to relieve yourself of 
my presence and at my own expense." That 
letter was from Elsie- There, said Mr. Rhode, 


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is my choice, and I will endeavor to get her 
the position, and the trial she asks for. He 
asked John if he had ever heard of her. He 
had not. His labors along the mechanical line 
had kept him out of the acquaintanceship of 
the school ma’am fraternity. He knew the 
town she haled from, and he had many pleas- 
ant memories of the place, but there were 
other memories as well that he vainily would 
forget. 

Time rolled around, the board met, and 
Elsie was notified that her application had 
been acted upon and her contract awaited only 
her signature. In time she arrived. John met 
her at the train and busied himself in helping 
her secure proper and convenient accommoda- 
tions for herself while she was to remain with 
them. He had never met the little lady so 
far as his memory served him, tho he had 
lived for months in her home town. In looks 
she bore a very strong resemblance to the one 
that was now a weighty burden in his heart, 
but in all else she was different. She was 
cheerful and friendly, as free to ask as she 
was to answer- There was none of the sang- 
froid, none of the outward display or preten- 
tions that the weight of the entire universe 
rested upon her little shoulders, and that she 
was held responsible for them all. In fact 
she was what John was wont to tell himself, 
a lovely little lady, and in but a very short per- 
iod her pupils were telling themselves, as well 
as others, that very same story. From nine in 


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the morning till four in the afternoon she was 
teacher, from four in the afternoon till nine 
in the morning she was pupil, ever ready to 
grasp hold of the problems of life and learn 
their merits, ever ready to expound them after 
once learned. 

She was of German descent, could speak a 
fluent tongue when called upon, but when 
there were no special calls she was an Amer- 
ican. She was charitable toward all and asked 
that favor of others. She loved her school, 
her school loved her, — and there were others. 
John loved her, but he was compelled to guard 
that love with a zealous care, for there were 
bitter pangs passed through his heart at the 
thoughts of past experiences. There was a 
hope that dwelled within him that in their little 
chats of her old home town certain names 
would never be mentioned, and miraculously 
they never were. She had never known of 
him as a resident there, but since she had 
learned it, coupled with the fact of his kindly 
attentions since she had come to dwell with 
them, often brought them in each other's com- 
pany. She soon had worked her way into the 
hearts of John's parents, and many evenings 
were pleasantly wiled away in her little visits 
at their home. 

Evening drives were enjoyed when they in- 
terfered with the duties of neither, but as 
time went by it was a noticeabe fact that only 
two enjoyed that pleasure instead of four, for 
a most noticeable feature as to that was the 


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absence of father and mother. But it does’nt 
take words to tell of love, and not a word was 
spoken. There was a battle raging in the 
heart of John, that as yet was undecided. 
Could he revive a deadened love? Could he 
again erect the towers of a fallen hope? 
Could he cement the fissure in a broken faith 
and bury the memories of past events? Elsie 
answered it for him — he could, for in her 
every word and action she was teaching him 
how to do it. But she must never know, he 
said to himself, she must think of me as I am, 
and not trust to the thoughts of others. But, 
unlike poor Bertha, she is free, and a cat's 
paw to no one. Her hand will be free to fol- 
low her heart, while in Bertha, tho I gained 
her heart, her hands were tied to her child 
and both were tied to her mother. To win her 
will be a victory without the sting of defeat, 
and defeat with but a victory. I am free, 
with but one exception. I must tear my heart 
from where it was, and do so without a rup- 
ture. The sores must be touched with a heal- 
ing hand, bitter memories of past events must 
be removed, and the flames of a smouldering 
love rekindled- 

I must act with prudence, said he. How do 
I know but that she knows all, and as an act 
of charity is guarding herself from its men- 
tion. She was born and raised there and must 
know them. A flash of anger shot through his 
soul, his fists clenched, an expression of 
hardened contempt overspread his features. 


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and then all disappeared before the smile of 
well satisfied decision that came creeping 
through his conscience. No, said he, that can- 
not be, for Elsie — Elsie is different. But 
would it be fair to her, he asked himself, to 
keep her in ignorance of past events, only to 
have her learn the truth at a time when she 
would be helpless? What would she then 
think of me? Would there be honor in an 
act like that ? Would she still retain her trust 
that she had placed in me? Would I be 
worthy of her love? No, I will not abuse her 
trust, I will teh her all. No, not all, only the 
experience. The name of Bertha must be pro- 
tected, not for her sake alone, but for her 
child. He is in blissful ignorance of the facts. 
God, may he remain so. He will learn in time, 
but not from me. No, rather would I give my 
right arm than to place a straw between him 
and the peace that he now enjoys through the 
protecting ignorance of youth. Long may he 
continue to enjoy it. 

His decisions were made, and awaited only 
the opportunity that he so desired to declare 
himself before he would make his plea. The 
least that he could do was to be as honest 
with her, as Bertha had been with him, for he 
well remembered that in the honest tho humil- 
iating confession that had come from that dear 
girl, had laid the foundation of his love for 
her. He realized that her love had been a true 
and pure love, and he also realized that it must 
have taken some influence of gigantic proper- 


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tions to overbalance and destroy it. As to 
what it had been, he was ignorant, but he had 
his suspicions, and they told him that it had 
been the over-ruling sway that her mother had 
held that had closed the doors to them and 
happiness. But God works in many and mys- 
terious ways. His wonders to perform, and 
who can tell but that it was not all for the 
best. Only one, and that is God himself, and 
time alone will prove it. 

'Twas the season of the year when nature 
clasps hand with nature. The parting regrets 
of summer were still being told, while she yet 
lingered with them. But where would those 
regrets find room in our hearts were it not for 
the chilly blasts of winter? For it takes the 
icy blasts of winter to make spring a welcome 
guest, it takes the bitter to lend a true value 
to the sweet, likewise we are prone to the bit- 
ter pangs of disappointment before we can 
grant a true appreciation to the real. 

The day came, and it was in keeping with 
the deed. They were enjoying a Sunday after- 
noon auto drive under a western autumn sky, 
and a western autumn sky has no comparison. 
Quietly and noislessly they crept along the 
smooth and level valley roads, as he repeated 
to her the story, with the exception of the 
names. She was an interested listener, break- 
ing in at times with questions as regarded the 
parts of the subject that she did not fully com- 
prehend. They met with a ready answer, and 
when he had completed, ‘'Now,'' said he, “be- 


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fore I will ask you for your version, or even 
before you form an opinion, I am going to in- 
form you that the one party to the unfor- 
tunate affair was myself-’' “Bear in mind,” 
said he, “that before you pass judgment that I 
am asking no charity, and expect none. If 
that quality is to be brought into the case at 
all, kindly extend it to the others, as my 
shoulders are as broad as theirs, and fully as 
able to bear the weight of the burden of faults 
as any.” “Now,” asked he, “will you kindly 
give true thought to the affair, place the re- 
sponsibility where it truly belongs, and render 
to me a true and just verdict?” 

“I will try,” she replied, but remember that 
it will be a true and just verdict, or none 
whatever. You undoubtedly think that your 
part and position in the affair was an ex- 
tremely hard one, but, Mr. Rhode, yours were 
light as compared to that dear girl you men- 
tion. She was battling between two raging 
fires — the fires of love upon one side of her, 
those of kindred duty upon the other. But in 
the end she proved that she lacked the moral 
courage of her very own convictions. As to 
the mother, I will judge her not, least that I 
may be judged, for God alone can judge her. 
That,” said Elsie, is my verdict.” 

It’s a fair and just one,” replied John, “and 
the very one that took possession in my heart 
from the time that I gave it a thoughtful con- 
sideration. I thank you. And now there is 
another question that I wish to propound to 


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173 


you, that is fully of as much or even more 
importance than that, and I hope for just as 
true and fair verdict. Fair, not only to my- 
self alone, but to you as well. Do you think 
that in the face of past events, that you, your- 
self, could give me the opportunity to prove to 
you my own moral courage? Could you re- 
move the bitter memories of the past and re- 
place them with sweeter ones of the future? 
Could you touch the bleeding ulcers of a 
wounded heart with the healing balm of a 
true love, and again turn my steps into the 
rosy paths of happiness ?” 

Her elbow rested upon the body rail of the 
car, her forehead rested upon her open hand. 
She now had a more weighty problem to de- 
cide than had been the other. Wordlessly she 
gave it thought, then raising her eyes to meet 
the anxious and hopeful gleam in his, she re- 
plied, '‘Yes, John, I can, and be fair to you as 
well. I will grant all that you have asked, for 
I love you. We have been told that love is 
blind, and now we can prove it.” 

While those two loving souls had been joy- 
fully rolling along the flower-strewn path that 
leads them into the future, they had passed 
through the town of Fairview and hadn’t seen 
it. But that went for naught, it wasn’t Fair- 
view they were hunting, it was the trail that 
was to lead them out of the thorny tangles of 
life and into the lilly-strewn meadows of a 
triumphant future that they were treading, 
and tho there be pitfalls along the way, the 


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guide-wheel was in the hands of that never- 
failing pilot, cupid. Young as he is in ap- 
pearance, it is a time-proven fact that he is 
old in experience. 

He knows the shoals that we have to 
pass, 

Where breakers roar an billows 
foam. 

The warning gongs and siren blasts. 

The beacon lights that guide us past 

The menace to our Home. 

His arrows carry to the foamy crest. 

The oil of peace that sets at rest, 

1'he surging mounts of grief. 

He casts the lead that sounds the 
way. 

Past broken wrecks that helpless lay, 

Strewn on misfortune’s reef ; 

He reads the signs in sorrows cloud 

That hangs its black dissentious 
shroud, 

Twixt God and mortal Man. 

Lend faith from your abundant 
store, 

He will land you on some peaceful 
shore, 

Where you'll bless that little Dan. 

Never did the sun set upon two happier 
souls than did it that evening; never did the 
twilight gloam upon two more hopeful ones. 
Be fair to yourself were the w’ords that rang 


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175 


in her ears; moral coiiarge was what rang in 
his. Never were words interpreted with a 
greater degree of thoughtfulness than were 
they. The return was made. John and Elsie 
for the first time parted as lovers. Again 
were towers rising for him, for her they had 
already risen. Could he forget his past in his 
hopes for the future? He would try, but it 
would take morail courage to do so. That was 
the trial he had asked for; that was the trial 
that was granted. Now, said he, if I don’t 
make good, I will know wherein the trouble 
lies, it will be like in Bertha, the want of 
moral courage. I will make good, he de- 
clared to himself, I must, for her sake, as well 
as my own, and moral courage will be the 
watchword. 

His business was calling him to the western 
coast, where he would be gone for months, and 
that night was a sleepless one for him. Again 
was he about to part from the one he loved, 
but this was a different parting. In this his 
hopes went with him, and would lend to him 
the strength that the other had deprived him- 
They parted, as all lovers must part, and as 
all lovers do, she retaining his promises with 
her, he taking hers along. And in a few days 
the mails were taking the messages to and fro 
that kept the time from dragging. He was 
kept busy in his line of duty, but never too 
busy to write, she was always busy but never 
too busy to answer. The time was fleeting, 
and fleeting fastly. The holiday season was 


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now approaching, and he wished to reach his 
home before she had departed for hers. She 
delayed her departure, he hurried his, and 
their desires were gratified. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


Vacation time — 'Twas a happy meeting 
that took place at the home of John’s parents, 
where John had come from the west to spend 
the holidays with his people. But that was 
not all — for he had come to meet the one he 
loved as well. She was about to depart on the 
same mission, and had delayed her departure 
for a few hours, that she might meet the one 
she loved and by whom she was loved. It 
was a happy parting, for securely packed away 
in the tender recesses of a faithful heart were 
the pledges of a thousand centuries. He had 
asked for her hand as well as her heart; she 
had promised one and given the other. Her 
faith in him, was that she had all to gain, for 
had he not been tried and proven worthy? 
She knew of the trials that he had been 
through, and she knew that he was blameless ; 
she knew that he had been made to sufifer for 
the sins of the guilty, but even then had he 
extended the mantle of charity to its fullest 
extent to shield everyone concerned but him 
self. Even in the recital of the event that had 


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been given to her their names had been care- 
fully guarded, and she knew that she never 
would ask them. She knew that somewhere, 
there was a tyrant mother’s hand at the throat 
of a timid daughter; somewhere there was a 
balance of power that had the ring of barbaric 
ages. 

From a woman to woman standpoint she 
could judge that girl that had so worked her 
way into his open heart, in a way that would 
ever be denied to man, and she judged her as 
a weakling. There comes a time in the lives 
of women, as well as men, when paternal ties 
must be broken, responsibilities must cease, 
the yoke of authority must be transferred, to 
keep time with peace and progress. In the 
mother of that girl had been found a tyranical 
unwihingness to loosen the grasp of an iron 
hand, and in the girl, a weak and unjust un- 
willingness to tear herself from it. Yes, un- 
just not only to herself and child, but to John 
as welt. She had placed herself in the cate- 
gory of a puppet, devoid of the will-power 
that would enable her to carry the weight of 
her own convictions. That is harsh judg- 
ment, said she to herself, but in honesty and 
fairness to womankind it’s a fair one. In fact, 
John did well to lose her; she is not the kind 
that makes for the upbuilding of mankind, but 
on the contrary it’s an incentive to the low- 
ering of the standards of womanhood, and the 
circumstances proves it. That’s the findings 
underneath that cloak of charity; now let us 


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do as John desires, replace it, and look upon 
her as an object more to be pitied than cen- 
sured. 

That was the judgment of a true and hon- 
est woman; a woman who had come out into 
the golden west not for the purpose of revolu- 
tionizing it, but for the purpose of learning, 
as well as teaching. She had done both. Her 
hopes had not been centered upon a point of 
self aggrandization, and at the expense of a 
self sense of superiority to her fellow crea- 
tures, but she had come to them with a thirst 
for knowledge, and had brought with her the 
moral courage that would enable her to dip 
deeply down into the fountain and drink to her 
heart's content. There were no pictures hang- 
ing on her wall of hope where she herself 
might be seen and heard, where the walls of 
some oratorial chambers would revibrate 
with the echoes of her eloquence, as she ex- 
pounded some of her self made doctrines to 
an unenlightened throng. Her ambitions were 
never to see society trampling over each other 
in their mad endeavors to gain a recognizable 
glance from her honest, blue eyes. They were 
even higher than that; they throbbed with the 
hopes of home and happiness. ‘^Ask and ye 
shall receive;" was her motto. She had both 
asked and received. Her actions had made 
known her desires to a liberal and open- 
hearted people, and she had received that 
which she had asked — the love of her pupils, 
the respect of their parents, and the best 


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179 


wishes of all. Even more, she was taking 
back to her paternal roof, securely wrapped 
in an unbroken faith, the keystone to her fu- 
ture — the unwavering love of the man she 
wanted. She wanted him for his unlimited 
charity, his growing ambitions, his steady hab- 
its, his love, — she wanted him for her hus- 
band. 

Did she recall the remark that she had made 
to Helen but a few short years ago? Maybe 
not, but she proved the truthfulness of it 
whether recalled or not. She had said, *'1 vill 
nod do like dat, I vill vait, und vcn a veller 
gomes dat lofs me, und I lofs him, I vill 
shtick py him like eferydings, und ven ve go 
und live py a leedle house inside, I vill pe true 
py him, und make him habby.’’ Now times 
had changed, conditions had changed, Elsie 
had changed ; but her heart had not. It was 
the same one that had beat in the Elsie of but 
a few short years ago. 

She took her leave from the place and 
people that she had so learned to love, and in 
a few days arrived at her parental homestead. 
She found the lessons that she had left with 
them had been faithfully adhered to. Up-to- 
date anJ modern ideas were plainly discem- 
able in the steads of the plodding methods of 
the old world that had been such a factor in 
keeping them in the back-woods of the new. 
Her brother ^nd sisters greeted her in the 
tongue of the land that was furnishing to them 
their bread and butter, while her parents did 


180 


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their best in their endeavors. Her parents 
had awaited her return with an anxious long- 
ing. Their mother country was now involved 
in a bloody strife with other nations, and in 
which our own country was pitted against it. 
They were placed in a position that none but 
them could know, and they longed for Elsie’s 
counsels. 

Elsie arrived, and her counsels arrived with 
her. know what your anxieties are,” she 
said, as she stood behind her father’s chair, 
while he scanned his daily paper. She had 
thrown her arms around his neck as he had 
looked across the table in the direction of 
mother. ‘^And every answer to every question 
lies within yourselves, and will bear of no dis- 
puting. Why did you leave the old world?” 
she asked. ‘Tt was because of the conditions 
that had steadily grown from bad to worse, 
till at last you found that your fingers were 
worn to the very quick and your life’s toil 
was torn from your grasp to add strength to 
a rotten nobility. Ones whose blood had inter- 
mingled with their own blood through a series 
of inter-marriages that had been tolerated for 
centuries, and, after congealing in their 
twisted veins, had broken out in an ulcerous 
mass of corruption. No new blood had been 
instilled, no new methods born; no new con- 
ditions sought, or no new ones granted. Their 
only mottoes were to get all we can and keep 
all we get. And if we refuse to adopt new 
and diflferent souls into our circles, we will 


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181 


not have them to divide with. Why did you 
seek the new? It was because that you had 
heard conditions were exactly opposite, and 
that is the way you found them. Your 
voice was considered worthy of consideration 
from the upbuilding of your own homes to the 
upbuilding of the nation. Everything that you 
was asked to help support was for your own 
good, as well as for the good of others. Some 
have called this a free country, but that is a 
mistake. It is not free, nor would we have it 
that way. We are not a nation of paupers, 
we pay for what we get, and we get paid for 
what we give, and always have the medium of 
exchange that is necessary. How long would 
it take you to get a home like this in Germany ? 
If you will let me answer that for you,'’ said 
Elsie, ‘‘I would say, about a thousand years. 
And here you have made it alone and unaided, 
except in the help that mother has lent you, 
and besides that you have raised a family that 
has time to love you." 

‘'Mine Got, Elsie," the old man shouted, 
“but nefer I haf time to tink like dot pefor. 
Herment," he shouted to the eldest boy, “go 
you guick unt gid dot flag unt nail him ub py 
der frond door outside. Unt fix him so efery- 
podies vill see him. Doss Chermeny, she gan 
go mit der difel. I vill go py der town inside 
unt puy me von vorpont; I vill do dot tomor- 
row." 

“Well," said Elsie," and while you are at 
it, you can buy me one too." 


182 


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Her visit was a visit of pleasure as well as 
a visit of profit Their home was made happy 
by her presence, and they dreaded the day 
that she would leave them, for they all loved 
Elsie. Her brother Herman was the one that 
had been appointed to attend to the mail and 
it was a part of his duties to go to the rural 
mail box each day and bring to the house the 
mail that the carrier had deposited there. The 
second day after Elsie's arrival, he returned 
to the house with an armful of papers, but 
held tightly grasped in his hand, and that hand 
held behind him, he carried a letter addressed 
to Elsie. He entered the house smiling, as 
they were all about to seat themselves at the 
dinner table. He said, ‘'What do suppose that 
I have got for Elsie?" 

“Vy, a letter, to pe sure," replied his mother. 

“Yes," said the mischievous rascal, “and it’s 
a letter from her fellow too, and I know his 
name, for it’s printed on the letter," and he 
handed to his sister her expected letter from 
John. 

That letter was the signal for explanations, 
not because they were demanded but because 
they were forthcoming, and for home con- 
sumption only. Mother, of course, was her 
confidant, and whole plot and plan was poured 
in her ears. 

“E>o you lof him ?" asked mother, “und does 
he lof you?" 

“Yes," replied Elsie, “I love hira, and love 
him dearly, and I am just as confident that he 
loves me." 


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183 


“Veil/’ replied her mother, “pe sure you aro 
righd, den go aheat. It is your avares, und 
nod mine. You are a chilt no more, alreaty, 
und if you cand pick oud der von vot you vont 
now you nefer gan. You haf goot chudge- 
ment Elsie, and I vill haf noddings to say, only 
to velcome him into der family und say, "Got 
pless you both.’ ” 

Later mother took it upon herself to inform 
father as to the coming event. “Vot,” said 
father, ""Elsie ged marriet und go vay und leaf 
us? No, we cannod lose our Elsie, mine Got, 
no.” 

""Veil, bud f adder, Elsie is nod ours no 
more. She iss no paby now, und it iss dime 
dot she pe finding a home py herself, und any- 
vays, we vould nod pe losing her bud we 
vould pe finding anoder son, alreaty.” 

""Veil, I guess you are righd,” replied father, 
""we haf had her apout as long as we gan keep 
her, und now, we will haf to do shust as your 
mudder und fadder had to do mit you, gif her 
up. Und maype afder a vile alreaty der vill 
pe some leed — ” 

""Oh, now you shusd shud ub,” broke in 
mother, ""dat iss gounting der shickens pefor 
der hen geds done py her gacklings.” 

""Ven iss it going ter habbening?” asked 
father. 

""Nex Chune,” replied mother, ""Id vill dake 
blace ven she geds done mit her school. She 
vill gome home und ged reaty, und id vill hab- 
ben righd here py dis house inside. Und den 


184 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


dey vill go und lif py der town vare she iss 
teaching; he has a home dare, und his beobles 
lif dare, und dare vill day pe habby.” 

‘‘Den she vill nod teach some more,’’ asked 
father, “she vill guit after she geds marriet?” 

“Yess,” replied mother; this iss her last 
term of bublic school. Her nexd school vill pe 
brivate, mit her huspant as der bupils.” 

Christmas was at hand, Helen and Bertha 
arrived home to spend the day with their par- 
ents, and Bertha with her boy. As soon as 
they had heard that Elsie had come home they 
hurried over to greet her and find out how she 
liked the west.” 

“Where do you teach ?” inquired Helen, 
after hands had been shaken. 

“Sidney, Montana,” replied Elsie. 

“Sidney? exclaimed Helen, “why that is 
where John Rhode lives. Do you know him?” 
she asked. 

“Yes,” Elsie replied, “both him and his par- 
ents live there. They are fine people and Sid- 
ney is such a lovely place. My, but I do like 
the people.” 

“Do you get to see John often?” Helen in- 
quired. 

“No, not very often. He is kept away from 
home a good share of the time, but he was 
home when I left there. He had just come 
from the coast to spend Christmas with his 
parents. He thinks lots of his mother and 
father, does John, and the people of Sidney 
think lots of him.” 


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185 


“Indeed/' replied Helen, “I know him quite 
well, but I never thought so very much of 
him. He always appeared to me as one too 
busily engaged in his own thoughts to have 
time to think of others." 

“Well," replied Elsie, “ that may be your 
opinion of him, but it is not the opinion of the 
ones that know him better than do you." 

At that a sneer spread over the face of 
Helen, and she branched off on another sub- 
ject, while Bertha who had remained in silence 
since the name of John had first been men- 
tioned wore an expression of grief upon her 
brow, the trace of a tear was in her eye, and 
appeared like one in trouble. Memories were 
chasing through her troubled mind that re- 
called to her events of former days. Her hon- 
est breast was heaving. Leaving Helen to fol- 
low, she returned to her home and to the room 
of her darling baby. Throwing herself down 
upon his bed, her face was buried in the 
downy folds of his pillow, while she, poor girl, 
gave herself up to the fears of but a few short 
years ago. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


Christmas ! Different? no, not different, but 
the same, unmercifully, unrelentlessly, and un- 
fortunately the same. The same golden sun 


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THE PAGES OF LIFE 


arose and made its way across the same blue 
sky, looking down upon the same weeping 
world as of centuries ago. The same count- 
less nations mourned. Why? The same ques- 
tion, the same answer — the same thoughtless 
disregard for the coming day, the same in- 
humanity to our fellow man has led us back 
to where we were just twenty centuries ago. 
History has repeated itself, the same proph- 
ecies fulfilled ; nation has risen against nation. 
The same cream of the earth stands facing 
each other in battle array, each with the same 
prayer upon its lip, to the same God, for the 
same victory. Will the same star rise in the 
east ? It has ; it hovers over Belgium — bleed- 
ing, down trodden Belgium. The nails have 
pierced her helpless hand, the thorns have rent 
her brow, she has lost, but not her glory. Wise 
men will find her prostrate form, strong arms 
will roll the stone away, cannons will roar, 
steel will clash against steel, the earth will 
tremble, then comes a lull. She will step 
forth, but she will linger with us. 

Again a din will fill the air, steel will clash 
against steel, but ’twill be the hammer against 
the anvil. The steel that has torn the earth 
apart will turn the blood stained violets under ; 
nature will smile as it never has before; the 
rains will wash all strife away and help to 
fill the trenches ; there will be no chasm ’twixt 
man and man ; royalty will be a mockery. The 
words of our Lincoln will be the words of a 
billion tongues, “Only that a world cannot 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


187 


exist half free, half slave, instead of a nation/’ 
The iron rod of the oppressive past will band 
the future will of the people. With malice 
buried ’neath th^ sod, and charity buried in 
their hearts, shoulder will be placed to 
shoulder, the debris of a thousand years will 
be cleared away to make room for modern jus- 
tice. 

Some prophecy, isn’t it? No, we peeked 
into the nest of the American eagle, and 
there’s a brood in there that when they get 
ready for flight will resemble the grasshoppers 
of Egypt. When they swoop down and sink 
their talons in the foe there will be no Kings, 
no Queens, Jacks, tens or deuces, but all roads 
will lead to Belgium. Glory awaits for Bel- 
gium, Belgium will come into her own again, 
and come with added glory. Why? Because 
it will go down written into the history of 
ages, and into the hearts of men, that she 
made a pledge and kept it. 

That same sense of honor can be found in 
persons, as well as in nations. It was strongly 
and deeply imbedded in the heart of Elsie. 
She gave due thought to every subject, and 
when once decided on, that decision was final. 
All that Helen could say against the name of 
John on that Christmas morning only went to 
strengthen the faith of Elsie. She knew from 
whence it came, and considered the source it 
came from. She knew that Helen had not 
only ruined the life of a very good husband, 
through a lack of faith, but she had lost to 


188 


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herself whatever friends had been hers. She 
was willing to hang the mantle of charity over 
her shoulders, for that was the way the twig 
had been bent and that way must grow the 
tree. 

She pondered long and well. I wonder, 
said she to herself, now since I have learned 
that Helen and Bertha are both acquainted 
with John, if they are not the characters that 
go to complete his story. I believe they are, 
but I will never ask them. John guarded their 
names, even from me, now why should I be 
guilty of prying. No, he will tell me in time, 
and if I never learn it won’t hurt me any. I 
will leave that all to him. 

But she didn’t need to pry, for as soon as 
Freddie had heard that Elsie was home he 
came trotting over to see her. Stretching his 
little arms to reach her neck, he kissed her. 
“Say Elsie,” he hurriedly asked, “Bertha say 
dat you teach school way out by Uncle John’s 
house. Did you ever see him?” 

“Yes, Freddie,” she replied, “I get to see 
him quite often. I saw him when I left there.” 

“Did he say he was coming to see me 
again?” he questioned. 

“No, I didn’t hear him say,” she answered. 
“Did you expect him?” 

“Yes, I spect him,” said he, “f spect him a 
long time ago. Is you going back?” 

“Yes, I will be going back to my school next 
week, for I must be there when vacation is 
over.” 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 189 

‘‘Well/' said he, “if you see Uncle John, you 
can tell him that if he can’t come to see me 
that I will send him a whole lot of kisses, but 
I like best if he would come. Say Elsie,” he 
continued, “but Uncle John is a good fellow, 
he is jest the best fellow in the whole world, 
an’ I wish he would come, for I want to ast 
him something.” 

“You like your Uncle John, don’t you, dear 
boy?” she asked. “Well he is a pretty good 
fellow, and I think pretty well of him myself. 
But maybe he is too busy to come to see you, 
darling, so why can’t I ask him when I next 
see him, that is, if he can’t come.” 

“But then how would I know what he 
tells?” inquired Freddie. 

“Well,” replied Elsie,” I could write you a 
letter and tell you just what he said.” 

“No,” said the thoughtful little fellow, “that 
would not be good, for I can’t read the writing 
very good yet an’ mamma would get the letter 
an’ I wouldn’t fin’ out at all, for she wouldn’t 
tell me” 

“Well,” asked Elsie, “what is it that you 
want to ask? I’ll bet that we can find some 
way to get the answer to you.” 

The words had hardly left her lips when she 
was sorry that she had spoken them, for look- 
ing her straight in the eye, his little hands 
clasped behind him, he replied, “I jest want to 
ast my Uncle John who my mamma and papa 
is.” 

The words came like a clap of thunder into 


190 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

the ears of Elsie and for a moment they dazed 
her, but recovering herself she asked, ‘*VVhy 
do you want to bother your little head about a 
thing like that, Freddie? Haven’t you got a 
good mamma and papa now, and are they not 
enough. You know that a little boy can only 
have one mamma and one papa, and if they 
had more than that they would not know 
which to like best, and then there would be 
trouble.” 

‘Well, that is what papa tells me,” he re- 
plied, “but I don’t care, I has more than one 
mamma and I know it, cause one time, long 
time ago, Helen she tell Uncle John that she 
is my mamma, an when mamma scole her, 
Bertha cry an say that she don’t want Helen 
to tell Uncle John that. She say that she 
don’t want her baby to be pigeon, an’ then 
mamma scole her, an’ say that she don’t care 
if I is her baby or not she is going to keep me, 
an’ not let Bertha take me way tall. An’ one 
day when I go to school that big Blake boy 
push me down in the mud, an’ get my clothes 
all dirty, an’ I tell him that I going to tell my 
papa, he laugh at me an’ say that I ain’t got 
no papa. He say that I is like Topsy in the 
show, that I never had any papa. An’ when 
I tell the teacher what he say, she jes did like 
your mamma; she kiss me an’ say that I fin 
out myself some time.” 

Elsie now found herself in a position that 
was not a desirable one to her in the least. 
She could not give to that child the infor- 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 191 

mation that his pure and innocent little heart 
was hungering for, neither did she care to tell 
him a lie. She must plan some way out of it, 
and that quickly. She must do it in a way that 
would be satisfactory to the child, and still re- 
tain his faith unbroken. How could it be 
done. “Well, little man,'' she said, “don't you 
bother yourself about that any more. Don't 
say anything about it to anybody, and I will 
see if Uncle John can tell you what you want 
to know. You just trust in God and every- 
thing will be all right, and I know it. Will 
you do that Freddie? 

“Yes," said he, “I will. An' when you come 
home next time, you can tell me what Uncle 
John say." 

“Very well," replied Elsie, “now don't you 
think of it any more." 

“I going home now," said Freddie, but who 
is Topsy what that Blake boy say I is like? 

“Oh," laughingly replied Elsie, “you are 
not like her, she is a bad little nigger girl that 
is in the show. She is black and you are white. 
Her hair is all kinkly and topsy turvy and that 
is why they call her Topsy. She steals ribbons 
and things from her mistress and gets her 
nose in the butter-milk, and makes lots of 
trouble. No Freddie, you are not like her. 
Now you run away home, and come back 
again tomorrow and see me." 

Freddie did as he was told to do, scampered 
away home, leaving Elsie to her thoughts. 
The poor child, said she, he can't forget it. 


192 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


Thirsting, hungering to know himself. God, 
I feel for him, when the day comes, that 
he learns the truth, but he won’t rest till he 
does learn and then what? But she herself 
had learned, and learned the truth. The shell 
had broken, and the contents of John’s story 
now lay plainly before her eyes. Bertha had 
been the one that he had loved, but he had 
failed to meet the approval of her tyrant old 
mother, who had used the child as a club to 
beat her daughter into submission. God, said 
she, what a life, what a life. Not satisfied 
with wrecking her own life, she wants to ruin 
the lives of all around her. I wonder why it is 
that the good Lord allows the likes of her to 
mingle with humanity. But it’s no wonder, 
she answered herself, she is here for a pur- 
pose. For if it wasn’t for the bitter we would 
never know the sweet. Well I now know 
what I didn’t know before, but I will not let 
it be known to John that I know any more 
than he has told me. But how will I answer 
the question of that darling little boy? He 
won’t forget it, for he is not the kind that for- 
gets, tho I must live in hopes that he will be- 
fore we meet again. 

Poor anxious little soul, their family quar- 
rels have opened a book to him and he cannot 
read its pages; but he will read them some 
day, and it will be a very, very hard matter 
to tell just what the results will be, for he 
is of such a sensitive nature. Poor child, 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


193 


my heart bleeds for him. No, not for him 
alone; there is a timid little mother^ one who 
'lacks the will power that God intended for 
women and th^Lt ^oes to make up for de- 
ficiency in strength. I wish that I could help 
her, and I can, I will, she repeated. I will 
tell John that I know all and I will tell 
him how I come to know it. I will marry 
John, and then we will both help Bertha. I 
will prove to him that I trust him, and he will 
help me, I just know he will. We will get 
Freddie away from that old tyrant mother 
and take him to where he i5 not known, then 
Bertha can come to her boy and we will pro- 
tect her. We will help her to make a woman 
of herself, instead of being a puppet. John 
will be proud to get a chance like that, he will 
care for that child like as his own, I know he 
will, and I will, too. 

That, dear reader, was the plan and purpose 
that was born in the heart of Elsie on that 
glorious Christmas day. It was in keeping 
with the day, and in keeping with her charac- 
ter. She would make Bertha understand that 
it was not for the purpose of humiliating her, 
but she would make her feel that it was a debt 
that was owed to her, and that she was glad 
of the chance to repay it. She knew Bertha's 
weakness, it was a mother's love for her child. 
She knew the child's weakness lay in his love 
for his Uncle John. There would be no diffi- 
culty in gaining the consent of the boy, that 
she knew, and knew it well, but he must be 


194 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


kept in ignorance of the plan, for a child’s 
tongue is prone to prattle. I will have a talk 
with Bertha and I will make her know that I 
am her friend, but John’s name must not be 
mentioned. She does not know that I am the 
one that is filling the place in John’s heart 
that by right should belong to her, and she 
must not know it till all plans are completed. 
Then I think that we can arrange everything 
as it should be, and next June will make four 
hearts happy instead of two. 

There was not much sleep for Elsie that 
night, other things that were of more impor- 
tance to her than sleep took possession of her 
thoughts, and they received due consideration. 
Tomorrow she must see Bertha and see her 
alone. But that could be easily arranged for. 
She would send for her and take her into the 
sacred solitudes of her room, and there, away 
from the prying eyes or ears of anyone, her 
plans could be considered. She knew that she 
would be treading upon dangerous soil, but 
the aim was worth the efiPort. She would 
make her know that the days of her childhood 
were over, and that now the world was ex- 
pecting a little more of her than a weak and 
timid submission. The dreaded threats of her 
mother that so held her in bondage were empty 
ones, and she would try and make her feel 
that, and in a way that a daughter’s respect 
for her mother would not in the least be tam- 
pered with. Honor thy father and thy mother 
were very important words to Elsie, but there 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


195 


were different forms of honor. Submission to 
a parent will was good up to a certain limit, 
but there comes a time in the lives of all when 
limits must be broken. 

Bertha liked her, of that she was certain, 
and she was just as certain that her mother did 
not. But for that she had no care, for she was 
well aware of the fact that if the will and 
authority of Mrs. Wish had been thwarted 
years ago, the world would have profited by 
it, as well as would their home. But even 
now, it is better late than never, and we will 
see what we can do. And at that she closed 
her eyes in slumber. Noble thoughts, born in 
the heart of a noble girl, on that Christmas 
day, a day that was wringing the hearts of 
nations. Who can say but that if such 
thoughts had been universal, next year would 
hear the Christmas bells ringing forth their 
melodies to a new born world. 


CHAPTER XX. 


A beautiful winter morning followed. The 
sun arose in all its brilliancy and gleamed 
down through a crisp, pure air. It was just 
the kind of a morning that arouses people to 
action. Elsie arose early, and as it was 
Bertha’s intentions to return to her place of 
occupation in the afternoon, Elsie hurriedly 


196 


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helped her mother along with the household 
duties, while in the meantime she had dis- 
patched her younger brother to the home of 
Bertha with the request that she come over at 
about nine o’clock, and to come alone, for 
there was a matter of very much interest upon 
which Elsie wished to consult her. The little 
boy had been told to deliver the message 
to Bertha in private, if that was possible, so 
he made it possible by approaching to where 
Bertha was sitting and whispered it into her 
ear. ‘‘All right,” said she, “you can tell her 
that I will be over by the time she mentions.” 

“^What is going on now,” inquired her 
mother, “that is of such importance that it has 
to be whispered?” 

“Oh nothing, mother,” replied Bertha, “only 
that Elsie wishes to see me and asks for me to 
come over. I don’t know what she wants, but 
I will go and see.” 

“Oh,” replied her mother, “I suppose that 
she has some more Sunday school lessons that 
she wishes to relieve herself of. It’s a wonder 
to me that she didn’t make a missionary of 
herself instead of a school teacher.” 

“Elsie is a missionary, mother,” answered 
Bertha, “for you never hear of her unless you 
are hearing good at the same time. You are 
too harsh with Elsie, mother, and it must be 
that you are in the wrong, for you appear to 
be the only enemy that is known to her, every 
one else is her friend.” 

“Well, trot along over,” sneeringly and 


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197 


mockingly replied her mother, ‘^and when you 
return you can probably tell us just what the 
text was this time/’ 

The time designated was drawing near; 
Bertha put on her coat and started. Arriving 
at Elsie’s home, she met Elsie in the most 
cheerful mood possible. ‘‘You are going back 
to your work this afternoon?” inquired Elsie. 
“Well I understood it that way, and before 
you went I wanted to have a good chat with 
you. I am through with my work now, so let 
us go up to my room, I want to have a good 
talk with you.” 

“All right,” replied Bertha, “I don’t suppose 
that we will have another visit until this time 
next year, so come along,” ordered Bertha, as 
she led the way. 

“No, it won’t be as long as that,” replied 
Elsie, “for as soon as my school term is com- 
pleted in June, I will be home again, but not 
for very long. I am going to be married then, 
Bertha, and after that my home will be in the 
west. And now, while I have the chance,” 
said she, as she looked Bertha straight in the 
eye, “I want to know if there is not some way 
that I can help to make you happy. We have 
been together all our lives, Bertha, and I know 
you as well as you know me. You are not 
happy, nor have you been for many years. I 
want to take you to where conditions will be 
different.” 

Bertha looked pleadingly into her eyes, as 
she sadly gave utterance to the words, “Oh, 


198 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

that cannot be, Elsie, for how could I go away 
and leave my child? You know that mother 
has me tied both hand and foot, for unless I 
do something that will be in strict accordance 
to her wishes, she will never give him up to me. 
That, Elsie, is where I am helpless, for I never 
can part with my child. I am responsible for 
the misfortunes of that little soul, and never 
will I desert him. I made the bed for myself, 
Elsie, and tho it be a hard one, I will be com- 
pelled to lie on it. Father is good to me, and 
is also good to the boy, and I would hate to 
leave him. In fact, had it not been for father 
never would I have been allowed to return 
home, for you know that every one of my 
folks except him turned against me, while I 
know that they had a just cause to do so. No, 
Elsie, it cannot be.'’ 

‘Tt can be," replied Elsie, “and it only re- 
mains for you to say the word and it shall be. 
You have made your mistake, I know, but 
there is neither sense nor justice in you letting 
that mistake bear down as a burden upon your 
life forever. It is neither justice to yourself 
or to the child. We all make mistakes, of a 
greater or lesser character, in fact, if you ever 
happen to run across a living soul that has 
not made a mistake, you will quickly learn that 
they have made nothing, nor are they in the 
least apt to. Now listen, I have a plan that I 
have figured out all by my lonesome, and I 
want you to hear it. Next June I am to be 
marri^, my home will then be in Montana 


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and as the occupation of my coming husband 
takes him away from home a good share of 
the time, I will need some one to live with me. 
After I get settled down, I am going to plead 
and beg for Freddie to come and visit me, and 
I want you to plead and beg as well. In 
time, we will gain the consent of all, and he 
Vvdll come ; then the rest will be easy. You are 
to follow him, and forget to go back, that is 
all there is to it. Your homes will be with me, 
or as long as you see fit to stay. Freddie can 
then get to a good school and prepare himself 
for the battles of life, in a way that here is 
impossible. You will be independent as well, 
in a way that you never knew before, and will 
have nobody but yourselves to thank. That 
is my plan, now I expect your answer. Not 
in a hurry, no, but I will return to my school 
next week and then we will keep up a corres- 
pondence, and the whole thing can be carried 
out both peacefully and quietly. Think it 
over, Bertha, both long and well, and then give 
me your answer.'' 

Bertha's face lit up with a radiance that can 
only come from happy anticipations, and then 
as suddenly clouded. '‘You say, Elsie, that 
your home will be in Montana. Will it be at 
Sidney, where you are teaching?" 

"Yes," replied Elsie, "the home of my in- 
tended husband is there, as well as that of his 
parents. It is a lovely place, Bertha," she 
continued, "and you will find everything there 
that goes to make life worth the living. You 


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will like it, I know that you wilh and you will 
find that it will be the better for both you and 
your boy. There are opportunities there that 
can’t be found here, and all it takes is an hon- 
est desire and good intentions to find them. 
The ones that are now there are there for a 
purpose, and it can easily be seen by anyone 
what that purpose is.” 

‘"Well,” said Bertha, 'T will not say no, but 
I will think the matter over thoroughly, and 
in time I will give you an answer. But Elsie, 
there are memories connected with that place 
that will make it hard for me to decide. But 
I will give the matter careful thought and tell 
you when I write. I will have to say good-bye 
now, Elsie, and I am very thankful to you for 
your thoughtfulness for me. I will have 
barely time to get ready and make the depot 
by train time; and if anything should prevent 
us from meeting again, Elsie, remember that 
I am wishing you every joy and every hap- 
piness that flesh and blood is heir to. And be 
sure and write, Elsie, no matter whether your 
plans can be complied with or not, be sure and 
write to me. God, Elsie, at one time I looked 
forward with pleasure to the time when letters 
were due from Sidney, and it will be a happy 
thought to be able to think that way again,’^ 
and kissing Elsie good-bye, she took her de- 
parture, more to have plenty of time to think 
than to prepare for her little journey back to 
the scenes of her labors. 

Well, said Elsie to herself, after Bertha had 


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gone, the ball has now started rolling, and if 
she hasn’t got the courage to fall in line and 
roll along with it I will be at a loss to know 
what else I can do for her. It is just as I 
expected. Yes, poor girl, she has reasons to 
have the name of Sidney memorized in her 
heart, as well as her head, for she is none 
other than the one that John mentioned in his 
story that he told to me. So, for that very 
reason, I will be compelled to keep the facts 
of this case a profound secret from John, al- 
though I do not think that he would try to 
discourage me in the very least, and he harbors 
no ill will toward Bertha. But say, wouldn’t 
he think that I was taking some chances ? But 
I will trust him, and prove that in a way he 
will never forget it. 

After Bertha had departed, Helen came 
over to the home of Elsie for a little social 
chat, as she chose to call it, but Elsie thought 
that it was a little more in the nature of a 
social inquiry than of a chat. She was met 
with all of the friendliness that was due her, 
b\it Elsie was very careful to keep the con- 
versation running in the direction that she 
chose, and not in the way that Helen would 
have it go. Elsie had no confidence in Helen 
whatever. She had no reasons to place her 
in any other light than where she had desig- 
nated in the days of her girlhood — ‘"A ship 
ofiF der olt plock.” Her questions as to geo- 
graphical, physical and material things were 
answered in a way that would be entirely sat- 


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is factory to anyone, but when they touched up- 
on personal matters, they were, as in times of 
old, answered in parables. And tho some of 
those parables bore no relations whatever to 
the query, they served to kill the time. She 
tried to draw Elsie out as to matters regard- 
ing her future, failed, then she tried sub- 
jects pertaining to John, failed some more. 
And as to her anxiety regarding the visit 
of Bertha, it met with a flat failure. El- 
sie treated her as cordially as her conscience 
would let her, and looked upon the affair in 
the light that if what she didn't know didn't 
hurt her, what she didn’t learn could not, and 
let Jt go at that. 

In her efforts to work her way into the well- 
guarded paths of Elsie's confidence, she had 
told a great deal of her own personal affairs. 
She informed Elsie that she was now engaged 
in the capacity of waitress in a North Dakota 
town, and also engaged to be married. She was 
having a very fine time in the circles of the 
cafe fraternity, and in the near future she was 
to be married to one of the old lovers that had 
been in her possession before she had placed 
herself in the flimsy knot with the man that 
she had ruined. Elsie could not rejoice with 
her, for Elsie was no hypocrite. But in sym- 
pathy she was long and that extended to its 
utmost length in the direction of Helen's ex- 
pected husband. She even did not exhibit any 
desire to learn just who the victim might be, 
but she was in full possession of a picture of 


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what was coming to him, regardless of his 
name. But that she considered as none of her 
affairs, and dismissed the thought, along with 
Helen. She had no use for Helen, neither in 
the sense of the past, present or future. She 
had known her from childhood, and her aims 
in life had always been an ambition to shine 
at the expense of others. As a little girl, her 
knowledge of sentimental affairs were far be- 
yond her years, and there was but one source 
of conjecture as to where that knowledge came 
from, they were the ill directed experiences 
of an over-ambitious teacher, drilled into the 
head of a very apt pupil. As the twig is bent, 
so grows the tree, and in that Helen proved it. 
An ambitious laborer, a skillful deceiver, a 
dangerous woman; and one who sooner or 
later would have to drink of the cup she had 
filled for others. 

She informed her mother, after she had ar- 
rived from her visit, that as in regards to its 
purpose it could not be counted as one with 
any degree of success. She had tried to get 
some information as to John, but with the 
exception that he was still living there and that 
he was on the road or engaged in work that 
kept him away from home a great share of the 
time, she could learn nothing. She had learned 
that Elsie was to return there and complete 
her school term, but as to her securing other 
and future terms she could not get a word, for 
every answer was guarded. 

‘'Oh, well,'' replied her mother, “you 


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couldn’t expect such an important character as 
she to divulge her weighty secrets to the likes 
of us. No, but I will venture to say that she 
has someone on the string herself, and in the 
way you say she acts toward you, I wouldn’t 
be in the least surprised if that someone wasn’t 
John himself. Say, but wouldn’t they make 
a hopeful couple? I’ll bet that she would have 
lots of places for her Sunday School sermons 
if she got him, why that man is a regular low- 
down measely scamp, if I am any judge of hu- 
man nature, and it ain’t very often that I am 
fooled in the likes of him. Why, Helen, the 
devil himself is pictured right in his features. 
No, you bet you can’t fool me on him, I can 
read him like a book.” 

‘‘Oh, mother,” replied Helen, “I can’t think 
quite so bad as that of John; he was free- 
hearted and kind. I am sure that he treated 
me good enough, but I suppose that was on 
account of him trying to get me for a wife, but 
I fooled him good and plenty. I got about all 
that I could get from him, and then turned 
him over to Bertha. Say, but didn’t Freddie 
work in just right for that? But Bertha is 
too honest, mother, she had to go and spoil 
the whole thing by falling honestly in love 
with him, and telling him the truth. She 
would have married him, as sure as taxes, if 
you had let her.” 

“Yes, and the little fool would marry him 
yet if I would let her, and she can marry him 
as soon as she wants to, but she won’t get 


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205 


Freddie, that’s a certainty, she can depend on 
that. The idea,” she remarked to Helen, as a 
disdainful shadow flushed her face, ^‘why it 
would be but no time till we would have her 
back on our hands, and like as not another 
youngster for us to care for. No sir, I for 
one have had enough of that. If she wants to 
give up her boy and marry that thing, all right, 
I will have nothing to say against it, only that 
we are done with her forever ; for never again 
will I consent to her return, and the boy shall 
never leave us.” 

^'Bertha will never give up the kid, mother, 
that’s a sure thing,” said Helen. ‘'But another 
sure thing is that the kid knows more right 
now about himself than you would think for. 
Look how he takes to her, above all of the rest 
of us. Why it would be almost a sure guess 
that he knows right now that Bertha is his 
mother. If Bertha had the nerve of a chicken, 
mother, she could get Freddie away from you 
in three days time. What would there be to 
prevent her from smuggling him out of your 
sight and then put him into the care of John, 
or someone else, and then following after? 
You could do nothing, mother, for he is her 
child and just so long as she would be able to 
show that she was capable of caring for him 
there is no law on God’s green earth that 
would take him from her.” 

“Well,” replied her mother, ‘^t may be that 
you know more about such aflfairs than the 
lawyers themselves, but as it happens, I was 


206 


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told by one that as Bertha was but a child her- 
self at the time of his birth that the custody 
of both would fall to her parents/' 

"‘Yes, but mother, you made that lawyer be- 
lieve that Bertha was wholly incapable of sup- 
porting him, and that they were entirely de- 
pendent upon you anyway. All that she would 
have to do would be to prove differently. 

Well, Bertha will never do it," replied her 
mother, “unless she is coached to do it by 
someone else. Anyway, she would have quite 
a time to show that she is supporting him, for 
about all that he gets except his board has 
come from her beloved John. We can all be 
thankful for that anyway, but I suppose that 
source of revenue will now be discontinued, 
since his game has been blocked. Ha, but I'll 
bet that he is mad at me, for it was me that 
queered the deal for him and he knows it." 


CHAPTER XXI. 


There’s an end to everything, even vacation. 
Bertha and Helen had returned to their re- 
spective places of employment, while Elsie was 
preparing for her return to her school. In her 
correspondence with John they had arranged 
that he would delay his departure to the coast 
for one day, while she would advance her de- 
parture for Sidney. By so doing it would 


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207 


enable them to have a little visit of their own. 
It would be a long time till they could meet 
again, and there was much to be talked over. 
She wished to see Freddie before she took her 
leave, and for her to send for him, she thought 
would not be quite the proper thing to do, so 
donning her coat she crossed over to his home 
to tell him good-bye. 

‘'Now,'’ said that little hopeful, “don't you 
forget to tell Uncle John what I toP you." 

“No," she replied, “I won't forget it, Fred- 
die, and if he hasn't returned to his work be- 
fore I arrive there, I sure will tell him; you 
can depend on that, Freddie. 

“But I don't know how to send them," said 
he. “Yes I do," he answered himself, “I will 
jes give them to you, an' when you see Uncle 
John you can give them all to him, that's the 
way we can do it," and reaching for Elsie he 
soon had kisses scattered all over her face. 

“Well," said Elsie to him, “ain't I going to 
have any to keep for myself?" 

“Sure," he replied, and the performance was 
repeated, to the entire satisfaction of both. 

“Freddie thinks a lot of his Uncle John," 
remarked Mr. Wish. The girls tell me that 
you are acquainted with him. I have only met 
him the once, and I was of the opinion that 
he was a pretty good sort of a fellow. He has 
been good to Freddie, and the lad has a per- 
fect right to think well of him. He has pro- 
vided him with many things that we could not 
afford to furnish and he appears to think as 
much of Freddie as Freddie does of him." 


208 


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''He is a kind-hearted fellow/' replied Elsie, 
"everybody that knows him says that. His 
parents, too, are fine people, and they certainly 
think a lot of John. And as for him, well, he 
thinks that there is not another mother in the 
wide, wide world that will equal his mother. 
But there's a whole lot of other people that 
think about the same way about her. There's 
a nice lot of people out there, Mr. Wish, and 
they sure are proud of their little city. "My," 
she said, "there are buildings there that would 
be a credit to a town five or six times its size. 
You just should hear the hammers. You 
can't tell in which direction the most noise is 
coming from ; and they tell me that next sum- 
mer will add a great deal to its size. It's a 
fine place, Mr. Wiish, and it's wide, wide 
awake; and likewise are its people. I beileve 
that you can see more modern homes there 
than in any place of its size in the west." 

"‘I believe that your eyes are set on that 
place all right, Elsie," remarked wily Mrs. 
Wish, "I wouldn't be surprised but that you 
will be staying there." And laughingly she re- 
marked, "if you deliver all of that load that 
Freddie is sending to John, you'll be a goner 
for sure. Well, tell him that you seen us all, 
and that we send to him our best regards." 

"I will do that," replied Elsie, "and now I 
must be saying good-bye, for I am going to 
start back right after dinner." And at that 
she shook their hands, and again kissing Fred- 
die, she returned to her home. 


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209 


'T’ll bet,” said Mrs. Wish, after Elsie had 
gone, “that that very same young lady has her 
cap set for John, and the girls think that too, 
although Bertha hasn't a very great amount to 
say about it. That is why she likes Sidney so 
well. And wouldn't it be a joke if she should 
get him.'' 

“Yes,” replied Mr. Wish, “it would be that 
for sure, but the joke would be on others than 
them. I believe that I could mention a few of 
them myself.” 

“I suppose that is intended for the girls and 
I,” answered Mrs. Wish, “but so far, Mr. 
Wish, it is us that has the joke on him. Why 
at one time he even had the presumption to 
think that he could get Helen, but believe me 
Helen is too smart to be fooled by the likes of 
him. So after she had got Bertha and he cor- 
responding with each other, she dropped him 
like she would a hot potato, but Bertha, the 
little dunce, would have tied herself up to him 
had I not prevented it. Whatever the girl 
could see in him beats my time, for she would 
have married him just as sure as I am telling 
it.” 

“And I suppose that you think that you did 
something that was very, very creditable on 
your part, to put yourself between two souls 
that loved each other,” replied Mr. Wish. 
“For my part, I just wish that he and Elsie 
will hitch up together, if it is for no other 
reason than to convince you and Helen that 
you are two of the biggest fools on earth.” 


210 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

'‘Is that so, Mr. Wish/’ angrily returned his 
wife. "Well let me tell you something, any 
time that you wish to bring that fellow into 
this family you are at liberty to do so, but re- 
member that when he steps in I step out.” 

"Well,” replied Mr. Wish, "that wouldn’t 
be a very bad idea either. But there is no 
danger, mamma, for it is altogether likely that 
after the experience John has already had with 
his intended mother-in-law that he has lost 
whatever appetite he may have had for the 
Wish family, and at the same time Bertha 
lost to herself a man that would have made 
her happy. Well, he is gone now, and there is 
no use of us quarrelling about it. If Elsie 
wants him, she might easily have found much 
worse.” 

Just then Freddie, who had been intently lis- 
tening to the usual conversation, made up his 
little mind that it was about his time to chime 
in with his share in defence of his Uncle John, 
and turning to his mother he declared, "Well, 
I jess don’ care, but I wish that I could go and 
live with Uncle John. I know that he would 
be good, for he alius was good ; see all the nice 
things that he has give me, an’ I never would 
had my wagon, or my sled, if it wasn’t for 
Uncle John. I jess know I wouldn’t.” 

"You hush up, young man, and don’t let me 
hear any more from you about Uncle John. 
Uncle John had a motive in view or he never 
would have given you a thing. Now if I hear 
any more about it, I will take the axe and 


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211 


smash your wagon and sled all to pieces, so 
you remember that and remember it good. It’s 
Uncle John here, and Uncle John there, and 
it’s enough to make one crazy to think of the 
love-sick impostor, and I for one am getting 
tired of it. So not another word out of you 
about him.” 

Well, that was enough to silence the tongue 
of that unfortunate little man, but his mind 
kept busy. Tears started in his blue eyes, for 
it hurt him a great deal more to hear his Uncle 
John abused than it would to lose all the 
wagons and sleds that he had ever heard of. 
His anger was now aroused and he stood wil- 
ling to take any punishment, just so long as it 
was in defence of his Uncle John. He did a 
very naughty thing. Raising himself in all of 
his angry dignity, and looking his mamma 
squarely in the eye, the words blurted from 
him in a way that plainly told just where his 
Uncle John stood in his estimation, ‘‘He is jess 
as good as you are, mamma, so there now.” 

And for that he had to suffer. His mamma 
punished him, and punished him severely. The 
lash was plied; it felljwith a stinging effect 
upon his little back, an^ from the uncontrol- 
lable hand of an irresponsible tyrant. And 
tho the cruel blows might break through the 
outward covering of his unfortunate little 
soul, they could not break his spirits, neither 
could they break his love, for his self chosen 
Uncle John. For love’s sake alone, that dear 
little child was willing to give up all of the 


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skin that covered his little back, just so long 
as it was in the defence of the one he loved. 

The little fellow had fallen from her grasp 
and lay sobbing and crying upon the floor, but 
as he fell, the anger of Mr. Wish arose. He 
stepped forward and placing a hand upon the 
arm of his wife, half pleadingly, half com- 
mandingly, he spoke the word, ‘‘mamma. 

Trembling with rage, she looked up into his 
face, and there, for the very first time in her 
life, did she read the signal of danger. Pale 
and trembling with anger, did he stand speech- 
less — except for that one word. There were 
flames raging in his heart, and he was doing 
his best to smother them. Momentarily he 
stood before her; then he found that his ton- 
gue was loosened. He well knew that it was 
wrong for him to interfere, so far as it had 
been in the realms of humanity, but in this 
case he knew that he was in the right, for his 
wife lost control of her reasoning powers, and 
lost it to her angry passions. “Mamma stop,” 
he commanded, and in a steam manner he 
said, “remember that the child is not yours, 
either, so be merciful, mamma, be merciful.'’ 

Those were the words that pierced the ears 
of that little sufferer, as he lay helpless upon 
the floor. Even those few words were enough 
to stop his sobs as he pondered over them. 
“I is not her child either, papa had said, an’ I 
wonder what he means. Oh, but I do wish 
that Bertha was home; I would go with her 
an stay with her till I get big, an’ then I would 


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213 


go to my Uncle John/' Those were the 
thoughts that were imbedding themselves in 
his troubled mind, as his torturer stood facing 
his papa. ‘Tf I is not her child, she is not my 
mamma, an’ she has no right to whip me, an’ 
jess cause I love my Uncle John.” 

''Now,” said Mr. Wish, with a determined 
look in his eye, and raising the little lad from 
the floor, "you just dry away your tears and 
don’t be naughty and talk back to your mam- 
ma any more, for that always gets you in 
trouble.” 

"But you said that I is not her child, papa, 
an’ if I is not, then she is not my mamma. 
Who is my mamma, papa? Won’t you tell 
me? For I know that she is not my mamma 
or she wouldn’t whip me so. Tell me, papa, 
please tell me.” 

"I will, little man,” said Mr. Wish, "it has 
gone far enough, and you will learn it from 
others anyway. I will tell you all. No, she 
is not your mamma but Bertha is. She,” 
pointing to Mrs. Wish, "is your grandma, and 
I want you to be good to her, just as good as 
though she was your mamma. She has done 
a lot for you, son, and you have been a great 
burden to her. She has cared for you ever 
since you were a little baby, now I want you 
to pay her for it by being good to her, then 
some day she will learn to love you, and you 
to love her.” 

"Well, papa,” inquired the boy, "if you is 
my grandpa, who is my papa. Or is I like 


214 


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that Blake boy say. He say that I ain’t got no 
papa, an’ that I is like Topsy in the show. He 
say that she never had a papa.” 

'‘Yes,” replied Mr. Wish, "you had a papa, 
but you will never know anything about him, 
except that he was a scoundrel. He left be- 
fore you was born and none of us have heard 
a word from him. The very best thing that 
we can hope for, dear boy, is that we never 
will. It is a page in your life, Freddie, that 
will ever be a blank to you, nevertheless, you 
have lots to be thankful for.” 

"I is, papa, I is thankful for lots of things,” 
the child replied, as the tears again sprang to 
his eyes. "I is thankful for you, I is thankful 
for my Uncle John, an’ I is thankful that she 
ain’t my mamma, cause now I know. But is 
you going to stay my papa, like you alius is? 
An’ if you is, why can^t you take me way far 
off where ma — where she can’t whip me ? 
Why can’t we go way far off where Uncle 
John lives, an’ then we can all have good 
times, an’ be like they are at Elsie’s house? 
They have good time all the time, papa, and 
not scold an’ whip all the time, they all like 
each other. Can’t we do that, papa?” 

"No, child, we can’t do that,” replied papa. 
"We are nothing to Uncle John, or is he to 
us, except that you have learned to love him. 
He was kind to you, boy, and maybe some 
day when you get to be a man you can pay 
him back for all his kindness. Mamma don’t 
like Uncle John, son, so you must be careful 


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215 


not to talk about him when she don't want 
you to. It is not likely that you will ever see 
him again, so you must try and forget him till 
you get big. Then you can hunt him up and 
pay him back for all that he has done for you." 

'^You want me to forget Uncle John? No, 
papa, I can't do that. God wouldn't let me do 
that, papa, for what would he say if I die an' 
He ask me to tell 'bout Uncle John, an' I say 
that I forget him. He would say that He 
don't want little boys in there that can't tell 
'bout their mamma an' papa an' uncles. No, 
papa, I never, never will forget Uncle John." 

And it was with that dear little child, the 
very same as it is with every reader of these 
pages. In your very own childhood there was 
a someone, the memory of whom still remains 
with you. It may be of either good or bad 
events that made that impression there, but in 
ninety-nine cases out of every hundred it was 
the good that you remember so plainly. It 
matters not how old you may get to be, you 
will never get too old to remember yourself 
in childhood. There are things that we are all 
only too glad to forget, but the days and the 
scenes of our childhood are the things that 
we like to remember. Our memories may not 
be able to carry us back to the time that we sat 
on mother's knee, we may have departed from 
the little prayer that she so faithfully taught 
us, yes, we may even have forgotten the 
prayer, but we never forget her efforts. They 
are ever as fresh in our minds as is her golden 


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tresses, and one of the most beautiful thoughts 
in life is to know that we, too, will be remem- 
bered. We love to look back on the pleasures 
of life and not back upon its sorrows, and we 
like to think that posterity wiil still retain that 
noble quality, and by us using a little fore- 
thought for the coming day, childhood recol- 
lections can be made as pleasant for them as 
now it is for us. In the life of this child, dear 
reader, the shining page was his own-styled 
Uncle John. His anxious and absorbent 
young mind had grasped hold of enough, and 
by what he himself had gleaned from the con- 
versations and quarrels of the ones around 
him, to tell him that there was a something 
that was out of the ordinary as in regards to 
his parentage. Nature had done its part and 
had held him to Bertha as it had not to the 
others. But even then he had been held in an 
uncertain mesh of tangles. So when his kind 
and ever-loving old grandpa had settled that 
question for him it was of no surprising con- 
cern to him, for he informed his kindly old 
protector that him and Shep had known that 
fact for a long long time. 

'‘You and Shep?’’ quickly inquired Mr. 
Wish, "why child what in the world do you 
mean 

"I mean,” said the little lad, "that when 
Uncle John was here that time I and him went 
down in the woods, an’ when he climbed a tree 
to knock down some acorns, he lose a letter 
out his pocket, an’ when I an’ Shep went down 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 217 

there next time we fin’ it right under the tree. 
I hide it, an’ I learn to read it. At first when 
I fin it, I jess could read the little words, but 
I mark the big ones on another paper an when 
I go to school they tell me what them words is, 
an’ when I get it all learned it say in that letter 
that Bertha is my mamma an’ that Helen tol’ 
Uncle John a lie. An’ Bertha say that she is 
sorry.” 

“Have you got that letter yet?” inquired his 
old-time papa. 

“Yes,” he replied, “I got it hid down in the 
barn, an’ I will get it an’ show it to you. But 
you must give it back, papa, cause it belongs 
to Uncle John, an’ I must give it to him when 
he comes to see me again.” 

“We will both go down to the barn, and I 
can read it down there,” said papa, and they 
started. Freddie soon brought forth the let- 
ter from under the manger and placed it in his 
papa’s hand. It was the letter that Bertha had 
written to John informing him as to the truth- 
ful birth of the little boy, and the very words 
that had drawn their hearts together in love’s 
eventful bonds. 


CHAPTER XXH. 


While holding the letter in his hand, and 
after questioning the child as to why he had 


218 


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not made it known that he was in possession 
of it before, he was honestly answered that 
the reason for keeping it in secret was of the 
fear that mamma would take it from him, and 
then he could never learn its contents. Now, 
as he had learned them and as papa had veri- 
fied its contents, he was willing to either give 
it back to Bertha or send it to Uncle John. 
Patiently he had kept his own council, and 
piece by piece had he deciphered it to the end. 
Now the end had come, so far as the mystery 
of his troubled little life was concerned, it had 
been cleared away, and new problems con- 
fronted him. '‘If Bertha is my mamma, why 
do she leave me here when she know that ma 
— my old mamma whip me so much?’’ That 
was the question that he confronted his papa 
with. 

"My dear boy,” hi^ papa replied, "you must 
try and forget those whippings. Bertha has 
to work away from home, to help provide for 
you, and she can’t keep you with her. But I 
want you to be a good boy, and I will see to 
it that those whippings don’t come quite so 
often. Be good to mamma, just like she was 
your very own mamma, and then if things 
don’t get a little better we will make a change. 
Don’t talk to her about Uncle John, for she 
hates the name of him.” 

"But can’t I take Shep an’ my wagon an’ go 
to Uncle John’s house, papa? I can stay close 
to the railroad track, an’ then I won’t get lost, 
for the cars go right out to his house. An’ 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


219 


when I get there he can write to you an’ tell 
you that I come. Can’t I do that papa.” 

‘*No, no, my child, you can’t do that. Why 
it is hundreds of miles out to where he lives, 
and you couldn’t get there in a year. How 
would you pull your wagon through the snow ? 
Then you would get hungry and cold and 
when night came, where would you sleep? 
No child, don’t think of that; you just wait 
till the summer time comes again, and then if 
you still want to go we will find a better way 
than that. You just be as good as you can to 
Mamma and then we will see what can be 
done. 

Two things had now resolved themselves 
in the mind of Mr. Wish. One was that the 
uncalled for punishment of the child would 
have to cease ; and that the little fellow was to 
be kept in ignorance of his own existence no 
longer. Leaving Freddie at the barn where he 
told him to stay and play for a while, and re- 
taining the letter, he proceeded to the house. 
Mrs. Wish was still on her dignity and ever 
ready for an argument. 

‘T suppose,” said she, as her husband en- 
tered the house, ‘‘that you are under the im- 
pression that you have done a very noble act 
by taking that little brat’s part and teaching 
him to disobey my wishes? It won’t be long, 
Papa, before you will be finding out just how 
great a thing you have accomplished, for it is 
only a matter of time till he will be driving 
bojtli^out of our own house.” 


220 


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'"Oh! I guess it won’t be as bad as that, 
Mamma, but there is one or two things that 
I have done. I have made up my mind that if 
the floggings of that child don’t cease, that we 
will have to part with him, for I am not going 
to stand by and see him abused any longer. 
If he is a scourge to you, we will try and get 
him into some home where he will receive 
proper care, and Bertha can support him there 
as well as here. He knows now that you are 
not his mother; and he likewise knows that 
Bertha is ; and he has known of it for some 
time.” 

‘'How did he get to know that?” demanded 
Mrs. Wish. “Did you go and tell him?” 

“I did,” replied Papa, “but I learned that 
he has been aware of the fact for a good while, 
and this is how he learned them. This letter 
explains it all,” said he, as he removed it 
from the envelope and handed it to his wife. 
John lost that out of his pocket when he was 
down here: Freddie found it and while keep- 
ing it hid from everyone, and with the aid of 
his schoolmates, he has learned to read it word 
by word, till now he can tell you every word 
that is in it without seeing it at all. 

Mrs. Wish took the letter and carefully 
read it ; her features plainly gave evidence 
to the fact that Bertha had sprung one on her 
and that she did not relish it in the least. 
“That darn fool,” said she, “to go and let that 
disgraceful fact be known to that fool humbug 
of hers. I’ll tell that young lady something 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 221 

when she comes home again, you can depend 
on that/' 

“Yes", replied Mr. Wish, “there is no doubt 
about that at all But if this continual ding- 
dong at Bertha don't stop, I am going to pro- 
vide both her and her child with another 
home. Bertha has made her mistake and she 
knows it, but even then, she is getting better 
treatment among her friends than she is get- 
ting in her own home ; and it shouldn't be that 
way at all." 

“Well, what is she going to do about it, Mr. 
Wish? I have already told her that any time 
she is not satisfied with her treatment here, 
that she is at liberty to move out at any 
time. But any time that either her or you 
think that I am going to give up that boy, 
after putting myself to the trouble of raising 
him, I can just tell you both that you have 
another think a-coming. She can go if she 
wants to, but Freddie does not; you just re- 
member that. Why, v/here will she go? I 
queered that wonderful John of hers, so there 
is no chance for her there any more and she is 
only too glad to have a place to keep her boy. 
So I think, Mr. Wish, that you had better just 
leave our affairs alone and it will be the better 
for all of us." 

“I have spoken my piece," replied Mr. Wish, 
and what I have said, I mean. There is no 
need of us living in such an outrageous man- 
ner. Why can't we live like other people, 
mamma? This place here of the last few years 


222 


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has got to be more like a hell than a home, 
and now I am getting tired of it.” 

Half scared, Freddie appeared at the door. 
He was getting cold and thought that it would 
be safer for him to make his entry while papa 
was in the house, so he came forward. Shyly 
glancing at his mamma, he edged up to the 
stove where he spread his little fingers out to 
warm them. He was wordless. His back and 
limbs still stinging from the effects of the 
cruel and relentless lash, he did not feel in 
any mood to start a conversation. 

''Freddie,” said his mamma to him, "where 
did you get this letter?” 

Freddie looked into her face, the fear came 
over him now that there was another whipping 
coming. His lips began to tremble, as he beg- 
gingly looked her in the eye. 

"Tell her all about it, Freddie, every word 
that you know. She is not going to whip you.” 

"I found it down in the woods where Un- 
Uncle John lost it,” he replied. "It fell out 
his pocket when he dim’ a tree to knock down 
some acorns, an’ the next time I went by that 
tree I find it.” 

"Why didn’t you bring it home and give it 
to me instead of hiding it?” 

"’Cause I wanted to read what it say, mam- 
ma, an’ I thought if I give it to you that yoii 
would burn it, an’ then I won’t know what it 
say,” he replied. 

"Well, who did you get to read it for you? 
You know that you can’t read writing.” 


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223 


'T can read the little words, mamma, an’ I 
mark the big ones on paper, jes’ like in the 
letter, an’ when I go to school the other boys 
tell me what they are. An’ I ’member them, 
an’ when I get them all ’membered, it say that 
Bertha tell Uncle John that Helen tell him a 
lie, an’ that she is my mamma an’ that my papa 
gone way ’fore I was born. She say that she 
is sorry but she want to tell him the truth, 
’fore he is good to me any more. She say 
where I is born, but that is a big word an’ I 
can’t ’member it.” 

'‘For land sake,” exclaimed Mrs. Wish, 
"what do you know about that?” 

"I know,” replied papa, "that it is the most 
honorable deed that any oT my family has ever 
been guilty of. I am proud of our Bertha, 
mamma, indeed I am.” 

"Well, it don’t appear to me that it takes 
very much to arouse your sense of pride, if 
that is the case,” answered mamma, "as for 
the life of me I can’t see where there is any- 
thing to be proud of in spreading to every 
Tom, Dicl? and Harry the story of her dis- 
grace. It seems to me that if I were in her 
place, I would rather have nobody know it.” 

"It goes to show that Bertha is honest, any- 
way,” said her father, "and it also goes to 
show that her honesty was appreciated, for at 
the very time John was here he knew just the 
very thing that you thought you was hiding 
from him, and by jinks I am glad of it. For 
no matter whether he ever sees Bertha again 


224 


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or not he knows that she is honest, and I’ll bet 
that he appreciated it, too. For if he didn’t, 
he never would have come to see her at all.” 

'Well, he knows that she’s a darn soft fool, 
anyway,” shot back mamma, "and I know that 
he ain’t much better, for if he is what he pre- 
tends to be he wouldn’t have to be knocking 
around the country looking for the likes of 
her. If he wants a wife, why don’t he get 
one nearer home? No, they all know him too 
well to let him fool them. He may fool you 
and Bertha, papa, but let me tell you that I 
am too good a judge of men to let him fool 
me one minute.” 

*Well, mamma,” said her husband, "I am 
sorry to have to say it, but I think that a 
whole lot of your judgment must have escaped 
you when you decided on me. You should 
have got a Philadelphia lawyer instead of a 
farmer.” 

"Yes, and believe me, Mr. Wish, if there is 
any way for me to help my daughters to profit 
by my mistakes, I am just the one that is go- 
ing to help them,” replied mamma. So you 
can put that in your pipe and smoke it. You 
men think that you know a whole lot, but you 
would starve to death in hordes if it weren’t 
for the women. And if those silly young girls 
wouldn’t get in such a rush to get married, 
there would be a far better chance for every 
one to get their own.” 

"I know it,” replied Mr. Wish, "and the 
chances are that the Devil would be a Mor- 
mon.” 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


225 


Freddie had now seated himself by the 
stove and was taking no part in the contest 
whatever. In other wor'ds, he was strictly 
neutral. But in his little heart He was fully 
aware as to which side his sympathy reached 
out to. He had never Heard papa talk back 
to mamma like that before, and he couldn’t 
quite understand as to what it meant. The 
letter that had started the argument lay upon 
the table, and he wished that he could get it, 
for he knew that mamma would give Bertha 
a terrible scolding when she next came home. 
But how could he get it? and if he did, mam- 
ma would very likely make him give it up, 
so he suggested to his papa that they take that 
old letter and put in the stove, so that it would 
make no more quarrels. Papa, it appears, was 
thinking that very same thing as he picked up 
the letter, and consigned it to the flames, say- 
ing as he did so, that he hated to do it, but so 
long as it remained around that it only would 
cause more trouble and God knows, said he, 
we have enough of that now. 

Mrs. Wish, too, noticed the change. She 
had noticed the determined look on her hus- 
band’s face, and she too couldn’t quite under- 
stand it. 'T wonder,” said she to herself, 
‘'what is coming over papa. He is getting so 
cranky that in a short while nobody will be 
able to live with him. I declare to goodness 
I can’t account for the way things are going. 
It seems that of late every time he comes near 
the house there has to be a row, and I am just 


226 


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getting sick and tired of it all, I declare I am. 
Well, we may just as well find out what the 
trouble is now, as anytime.’' 

‘‘Papa,” she sternly asked, “what makes you 
so impatient, cross and cranky as you have 
been of late? Why you are getting just like 
an old bear. It don’t seem like that I could do 
or say anything any more that meets with your 
approval. Just tell me, if you please, what the 
trouble is and maybe we can find some way to 
find a remedy.” 

Papa, for once in his life at least, exhibited 
what could well be termed an open counte- 
nance. His jaws flew apart, and with wide 
open eyes he first stared at her, and then at 
Freddie. Rubbing his head with his open 
hand, he asked, “What is that you say, mam- 
ma ?” 

“I say,” repeated mamma, “that you have 
got so cranky of late that one is hardly able to 
get along with you at all, and I want to know 
just what’s the matter.” 

Papa knew full well that for him to try to 
explain anything or to try in the least to jus- 
tify himself would only be the forerunner of 
another quarrel. He arose from his seat, and 
speaking to Freddie, said, ‘Tut on your coat, 
son, and let’s go and split up some more wood. 
I will split it and you can carry it into the 
woodshed and pile it up. Let us try and get 
that whole pile split and piled up today. Then 
when the weather gets bad, we will have lots 
of wood all ready for the stove. Come on, 


227 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 

son, let's get busy/' and leaving mamma to 
answer her own questions, they were soon re- 
ducing the large oak blocks that lay in the 
back yard to a size that was suitable for 
domestic purposes. 

They were both whipped, and they knew it. 
But what s the use ? thought papa. The 
nearer that you can come to convincing that 
woman that she is in the wrong, the more 
righteousness she can see in herself. So 
there's no use of quarrelling with her. Mavbe 
some day things will change, but I am think- 
ing that it will take either death or a paralytic 
stroke to do it. 

son, he said to Freddie, **don’t you 
tell Bertha anything about that letter, let us 
just keep that to ourselves and not let her 
know that you know she is your mamma, and 
when summer comes again we will try and 
have things a little better. You will be going 
to school nearly all the time, and when school 
IS out next summer we will just take a few 
days off and have a little vacation. You be a 
good boy and get your lessons good, and when 
vacation comes again we will both get on the 
cars and go and see Uncle John. But don’t 
you tell it.” 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


The Holiday season, along with its events, 
was now a thing of the past, and everybody 


228 


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was again getting down to the steady grind of 
affairs ; all appeared to be willing to grasp the 
new year by the horns, and wring out of it the 
best she could afford. Back home visitors 
were returning on every train, and along with 
the crowd came Elsie. John met her at the 
depot, and he met a very thankful girl, for 
their return trip had been a wearisome jour- 
ney. Snow bound for hours had been their 
lot, as that dreary expanse of Dakota Plains 
was bound in the grasp of winter. Thankful 
were they all when the Missouri divide was 
crossed, for that marked the western borders 
of that bleak and dreary region. Here things 
were different; plenty of snow to make it 
seem to her like her beloved Minnesota, but a 
sunshine like Minnesota knew nothing of. 
The hillsides were dotted with the herds of 
cattle and horses that are accustomed to run 
the range the year around, the country roads 
strewn with teams hauling to market the pro- 
duct from the farms or coal from the numer- 
ous mines that were under operation. Every- 
body was busy, contented and happy. 

John could be with her but a few more days 
when he, too, would leave for the scenes of his 
labors, so there was much to be talked over. 
Months would elapse before they would meet 
again, so it was arranged that she would make 
her home with his parents until the day would 
arrive when they made their home together. 
She would finish her term at the city school, 
while he would return to the coast to complete 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


229 


his labors there, and by the time vacation time 
would arrive again that longed for day would 
be at hand. It was arranged that when her 
duties as teacher were fulfilled that she would 
return to her home and that he would follow 
and the nuptial vows were to be pronounced 
in her parents' home. It was to be a quiet 
affair, only a few of her nearest and dearest 
friends were to be invited. Then, after 
another visit to the western fringe of the na- 
tion, they would return to Sidney and number 
themselves among their sturdy residents. 
There would be no chance for idle thoughts 
to beget idle deeds, for they both had busy 
months before them, and as they declared the 
months would soon speed themselves away 
and that the hands of time would be pointing 
June-ward as soon as they were ready. 

*'Buf don't let yourself get lonesome, Elsie," 
said John to her. 'Whenever you begin to 
feel a little lonely you just sit down and write 
me a long, long letter." 

'Tt isn't now, John, that there is any danger 
of lonliness coming over me, for my school 
duties will prevent that, but the time that I 
am thinking of will be after we are settled 
down and you will be away from home so 
much. But say, John, I have a plan, and I 
am going to ask you what you think of it. 
There is a dear little boy down home that be- 
longs to a friend of mine, and he thinks about 
as much of me as he does of his mother. 
Wouldn't it be nice if we could have him come 


230 


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and live with us, after we get settled, and let 
him attend our school. He would be a great 
help to me, and at the same time I could be 
helping him along with his schooling. His 
folks are poor, and I am sure that I can per- 
suade them to let him come. What do you 
think about it John?'' 

''Think about it?" replied John, "why I 
think that it would be a fine proposition. Why 
not have him come out here now?" inquired 
big-hearted John. "He would be company for 
you all, and he would get started to school that 
much sooner." 

"No," said Elsie, "I will be well satisfied if 
I can have him then, and then it wouldn’t be 
like imposing upon your mother." 

"Well," said John, "if that is the way you 
feel about it, I wouldn't advise you to mention 
it to mother, or she would be apt to send for 
him herself." , 

"I know that she would," replied Elsie, "and 
for that reason I am not going to mention it 
to her. She is kind enough to me now, with- 
out ringing in anyone else in upon her. I will 
do my best to keep her from getting lonesome, 
and I'll bet that I can do it. We can have 
lots of good times together, aTter school hours, 
and then on Saturdays I can help her with her 
housework." 

"Well, that's all up to you, Elsie, but I 
think that it would be fine to have him out 
here now. Then by the time we really needed 
him, he would be well acclimated; but do as 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 231 

you please about that. Remember that 1 am 
willing and more, I am heartily in favor of 
the scheme.'’ 

Elsie had been mighty careful not to men- 
tion any names, and she was more than glad 
that he had made no inquiries in regards to 
that. The first steps had now been taken in 
the matter and she was glad to think that she 
would have no great trouble in carrying out 
the plan in full ; she would live in hopes of it 
anyway. And in her own heart she felt sure 
that if her venture proved a success there 
would be more than one heart that would feel 
grateful for it. The hours flew and only too 
soon did the time arrive when John bid them 
all good-bye and started westward, as happy, 
happy as mortal man could be. 

Elsie, too, was happy. School had com- 
menced and things were progressing nicely. 
Letters came and went, and before they could 
hardly realize it Spring was upon them. The 
melting snows washed down from the foot- 
hills, filling the creeks to their brink, and then 
came tumbling down to the river. The ice 
gave way in the mighty Yellowstone, then 
came a sight, a wonderful sight to her. 
Masses of ice came rushing down the stream 
till it would strike some obstacle in the way, 
then gorges would be thrown up when in a 
few minutes, the river would be two or three 
times its usual width. Crash ! The gorge was 
broken and the waters would recede to their 
regular bed until another gorge was formed, 


232 


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and then the whole afifair would be repeated. 
In two or three days that event would pass 
away, and then would come spring in all its 
glory. A carpet of green reached out over 
the plain; the timber that bordered on the 
streams donned their summer garb; the chug 
of the gas tractor was heard in the land ; ham- 
mers and saw played their merry tune, and 
winter once more was a thing of the past. 

Time was passing very pleasantly for Elsie. 
She liked her school and her school liked her, 
and that is half the battle. Her correspon- 
dence told her that John was very busy. In 
fact, he had said, ‘T have no time to get lone- 
some, but nevertheless I will be glad when 
June time rolls around. But all things come 
to him who waits, and June was nearing. 
Commencement day was coming, and he 
wished to be on hand at the exercises. A suc- 
cessful year had marked Elsie’s course, and 
he was just as proud over it as she, and 
neither was any prouder than the town’s 
people. Elsie had worked hard, and along a 
line that had won the praise of all. She had 
mingled with her charges and had taken les- 
sons from them, as well as they from her. 
While in that, tho her efforts had lay along a 
radical departure from the old time-beaten 
course, it had spelled success from the begin- 
ning. The school board waited upon her and 
tried to persuade her to sign a contract for 
the coming term, but to that she informed 
them that as she was about to sign a contract 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


233 


that was of vastly more importance to her, 
she would have to refuse their kindness. 
That was enough. The news spread to her 
scholars, and on commencement day their ap- 
preciation of her labors were made manifest 
by the presentation of a beautiful gold watch 
from her pupils. There were but few that 
knew that it was her intentions to return and 
make Sidney her home, and those few kept it 
closely guarded. 

John arrived from the west in ample time 
to witness the coming school events, while in 
the evenings he had the opportunity to make 
use of his mechanical skill in drawing up plans 
for a new dwelling. Contracts were let and 
ground was broken for a modern dwelling, so 
that by the time Elsie was ready to take her 
departure for the scenes of her childhood a 
good start had been made. At last the day 
arrived and Elsie bid them all good-bye. She 
journeyed to her childhood home, there to 
prepare for that day that long they had waited 
for. But a few days remained till she would 
say farewell to her girlhood, together with her 
girlhood name. She was kept busy preparing 
for the happy event, as well as the westward 
trip that had been planned for, and time was 
fleeting. 

Helen had returned to her home, there to 
enjoy a brief rest, and Bertha had been 
granted a short reprieve for the same purpose, 
as well as to have a short visit with her boy. 
That visit was always an important affair with 


234 


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Freddie, but this time he hugged her longer 
and harder than ever before, and there was a 
twinkle in his sparkling eyes that even Bertha 
was tempted to inquire the reasons. But Fred- 
die and his papa had kept their own council, 
and mamma as yet hadn't had time for an 
argument. When it had become known to 
them that Elsie had arrived home they hurried 
over to her house for a visit. They found her 
busy sewing, as well as her mother, who was 
straining every eflfort to meet the requirements 
of the day that was to follow. 

“Oh, ho," shouted Helen, “now we see why 
you were keeping yourself penned inside so 
closely, for we watched for you, and as we 
could not see any signs of you we made up our 
minds to come and see what was the matter. 
But now everything is plain enough. Elsie, 
you are going to get married !" 

“Yes," replied Elsie, “this is the last day of 
my girlhood, tomorrow at high noon I am to 
marry,. It will be but a quiet affair, as only 
a few of our own people were invited, but 
I was not going to overlook you girls, and now 
since you are here I want your whole family 
to be present. Be sure to tell your mother 
and father to come, and don’t forget Freddie. 
We expect to leave on the afternoon train for 
the coast, and I can’t tell when we shall meet 
again. We expect to go right to housekeeping 
on our return, and I don’t know just when 
I will get down home again, so be sure and 
come over." 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


235 


'‘Where is your home going to be, Elsie?'’ 
inquired Helen. 

“Oh,” replied Elsie “I found a home, and 
a fellow too, out where I was teaching.” 

“May I ask what your name is going to be?” 
pleaded Helen. 

“Yes, Helen, you may ask,” replied Elsie, 
“but the time is now so short that I won’t 
answer. Tomorrow you will know my name, 
as well as his.” 

Bertha was quiet, but friendly. Her 
thoughts were drifting to things that might 
have been. She liked Elsie, as Elsie had al- 
ways been a friend to her. “Elsie,” she said, 
“my wish js that you will be happy. I hope 
all will be yours that I have missed, and if 
that comes true, and I can realize on my hopes, 
1 know you will be. You deserve a good man 
Elsie, and I feel sure that you are getting one 
that is deserving of you, tho I do not know 
him.” 

“Thank you, Bertha, I thank you,” replied 
Elsie, as she arose and kissed her. “No bet- 
ter wishes could one ask than that.” But 
hardly had her lips parted from those of her 
dear friend till that friend’s face was buried 
in her hands, and ’mid bitter tears she seated 
herself and reviewed the blotted pages of her 
blotted life. She lived in the days gone past, 
poor girl, and days only too well remembered. 
The pictures that she had been compelled to 
turn to the wall were now to shine upon 
others, and gone from her forever. 


236 


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''Why Bertha, you silly goose, what in the 
world are you crying for?” Helen inquired of 
her. "Is it because you are going to lose Elsie, 
or are you sorry that it is^not you instead of 
her that is going to marry? Come sis, don't 
be foolish, your time will come some day, and 
if you only know it, the longer that time is 
delayed it probably will be the better for you.” 

Elsie ignored that remark, and kneeling at 
the side of Bertha she threw a loving arm 
around her neck, told her to dry her tears, and 
told her of better days that were coming. 
"Something seems to tell me Bertha,” said 
Elsie, "that before very long times are going 
to change for you, and you will yet be happy.” 

"But it has been so long Elsie,” said Bertha, 
"since I have known anything about happiness, 
could I be able to appreciate it should it come ?” 

"Indeed you can,” replied Elsie, "and it may 
come in such a wa}^ and manner that only you 
will realize its true meaning. God intended 
for everyone to be happy, Bertha, and if we 
are not it is no fault of His, but our own. 
Life is a good deal what we ourselves make it, 
dear girl, and mistakes are bound to happen. 
But remember, Bertha, that every night has 
its day, and every ill its remedy, so why should 
we think that every wrong could not be 
righted. Give to your Maker, Bertha, a hum- 
ble hand, and remember the words that, 'He 
leadeth me in pastures green? Not always. 
Sometimes He who knoweth best, in kindness 
leadeth me in weary ways, where heavy 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


237 


shadows be. Out of the sunshine warm and 
soft and bright, out of the sunshine, into the 
darkest night. I oft would faint with sorrow 
and affright, only for this, I know He holds 
my hand. So whether led in green or desert 
land, I trust, altho I cannot understand. And 
by still waters? No, not always so. Ofttimes 
the heavy tempest 'round me blow, and o'er 
my soul the waves and billows go. But when 
the storm beats loudest, and I cry aloud for 
help, the Master standeth by and whispers to 
my soul, Xo, it is I.' Above the tempest wild 
I hear him say, ‘Beyond the darkness lies the 
perfect day ; in every path of thine I lead the 
way.' So whether on the hill-tops, high and 
fair I dwell, or in the sunless valleys where the 
shadows lie, what matters? He is there, and 
more than this, where e'er the pathway lead 
He gives to me no helpless broken reed, but 
His own hand, sufficient for my need. So 
where He leads me I can safely go, and in the 
blest hereafter I shall know why in His wis- 
dom He hath lead me so; and thankful for it 
too, you will be, Bertha. 

“There is no use of fretting over the matters 
that can no longer be helped Bertha, for all of 
our time can be far more pleasantly occupied 
in planning for better days to come. What 
would this old ^world mean to us if all was 
clouds and no sunshine to hope for? No, 
Bertha, it isn't to be that way ; this is the only 
world that we know, and regardless pf the 
brilliant promises that are held out to us all 


238 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


there are but few that are willing to give up 
our hold on this grand old footstool, till we 
have to. So dry up your tears girl, and leave 
them to the past, for it's smiles that we need 
for the future, Bertha, and plenty of them at 
that." 

Helen stood listening to Elsie's counsel to 
her sister for a few minutes, but as that was 
not the kind of a conversation that was to her 
liking she left the room, and after a few 
words with Elsie's mother started for home. 
Upon her arrival there, her mother inquired as 
to what she had done with Bertha. 

‘"Oh," replied Helen, ''I left Bertha over at 
Elsie's, listening to one of the prettiest little 
sermons that you ever heard in your life. 
Why mother, that Elsie has got to be a regular 
evangelist, and the way she is talking to Bertha 
would put a whole Salvation Army on the run, 
I tell you, it is great." 

'What is she lecturing Bertha for now?" 
asked her mother. 

"Oh, I don't know," Helen replied, "only 
that when we were talking about the coming 
wedding Bertha started to bawl like a baby. I 
don't kno^v whether it was because she is 
so sorry to lose Elsie or whether she is mad 
because it is not her that is to get married, in- 
stead of Elsie." 

"I suppose," remarked her mother, "that she 
is still mourning over that shrimp of her's yet. 
It's too bad, Helen, that she didn't get him, 
then she would have something to mourn 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 239 

about. When is the wedding going to be?” 
she asked. 

‘'At noon, tomorrow,” replied Helen, “and 
we are all invited to attend it, every last one 
of us, mother, is asked to be there.” 

“Well I don^t know as to whether I will 
be there or not,” mother replied, “but I suppose 
that to be neighborly we will all have to go. 
What name is she going to answer to here- 
after, Helen?” 

“I don’t know, mother. She said that the 
time was now so close at hand that she 
wouldn’t tell us,” answered Helen. ^‘But,” she 
continued, “I’ll bet that she tells Bertha. She 
always did think far more of Bertha than of 
me. Here comes Bertha now, maybe we can 
find out from her.” 

Bertha just then appeared at the door, and 
smiling happily she said “Elsie is to be mar- 
ried tomorrow mother, and we are all asked 
to come over. It is going to be a very quiet 
afifair, and only a few of her own people will 
be there.” 

“What’s going to be her name??” blandly 
asked her mother. 

“I don’t know,” replied Bertha. “She said 
that the time was so close that she was going 
to make us wait and learn it all together.” 

“Yes and she probably will wish that she 
had made us wait for a good many years yet,” 
sourly remarked mother. 

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Mother,” 
said Bertha, “why shouldn’t Elsie be happy? 


240 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


She is always happy herself, and she has a 
way of making everybody around her happy. 
And for the life of me, mother, T can’t see 
why you always have everything pictured out 
so grievous for everyone.” 

''Well, young lady,” replied mother, "that 
is because you have a whole lot to learn yet, 
but no doubt you will get a chance in ihne, 
and will be able to see a little more then than 
now. But that is Elsie’s affairs, and if she 
don’t know just when she is well off, she will 
have to pay the penalty, that’s all. She ain’t 
the first one that has made a fool of herself, 
and won’t be the last one, so I ain’t going to 
trouble myself much about it. Yes,” she con- 
tinued, "we will all go over tomorrow and see 
her off,” and with that the subject was 
dropped, as far as mother was concerned. 

But not so with Bertha. It was long after 
midnight when sleep overtook her, and when 
it did the words of Elsie were ringing in her 
ears. "There are better times coming for you 
Bertha, and I know it.” 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


At last the hour was drawing near. A 
few of Elsie’s near relatives had arrived and 
every auto that now came into view was 
closely watched until it had passed and 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


241 


was speeding into the distance, when at last 
a heavy touring car stopped at the gate. 
The driver stepped off, and upon opening 
the side door there stepped out three per- 
sons. The younger man glanced about him, 
land across the way, while he asked the 
driver if he was certain that they were at 
the right place. Upon being assured that 
they were, John looked across, and at the 
home of the Wish family, ‘Wes,’’ said he, “that 
is the house, I am sure, but it seems so 
strange to me that they being such close 
neighbors Elsie had never mentioned them.” 
He now looked in the direction of Elsie’s 
home. A small boy stood upon the porch, 
and just then Elsie made her appearance at 
the door. She was accompanied by her 
father. Together they came toward the 
gate to meet and greet the travelers. There 
was ,a patter of little feet upon the walk 
and a little form shot past them, and before 
Elsie could reach the gate Freddie was in 
the arms of his Uncle John and hugging 
him like an old time loved one. Hand af- 
ter hand was clasped, father was introduced, 
and then all started toward the house, 
Freddie still clinging to John’s hand and 
leading him forward. 

“Why just look at that boy,” remarked 
Mrs. Wish, “one would think that he had 
found an old time friend, and was afraid 
that he would lose him.” 


242 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

‘'Yes, but mother!'* exclaimed Helen, 
“can’t you see who it is? Why, It’s John 
Rhode.” 

“Well, what do you know about that?” 
she asked. “If that ain’t a good one. A 
smile of disdainful contempt crept over her 
features as she looked into the eyes of Hel- 
en, there to meet its counterpart ; and many 
a knowing glance was exchanged between 
them. 

By the time the little group had reached 
the house everyone was on their feet and 
prepared to greet them. Mr. Wish and El- 
sie’s mother was at the door ; but Helen and 
her mother stood in the background. El- 
sie’s mother now grasped them by the hand 
and welcomed them as her own. Mr. Wish 
greeted John very cordially, as he did his 
parents. John now noticed Mrs. Wish and 
Helen and stepped forward extending his 
hand. Very cool and distant was their 
greeting. A figure stood alone and was 
peering out of the window. John stepped 
toward it. Touching her on the arm, he 
said, “Bertha will you shake hands with 
me?” 

She turned. Her eyes were moist, and 
looking him steadily in the eyes, she said, 
“Yes, John and I am glad to see you. I 
wish you-—” and then she turned from him. 

John looked sad, but he turned and left 
her. Chairs were now being placed against 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


243 


the walls of the neat little parlor and prep- 
arations were being made for the ceremony. 
Mrs. Rhode opened a small hand-bag, tak- 
ing from it a little package, she handed it 
to his father, who after placing it in the in- 
side pocket of his coat, whispered a few 
words to her. John and Elsie were now 
lead forward and the minister took his prop- 
er place. All was ready. Just then Mr. Rhode, 
raising his open hand, stepped forward and 
said, “Dear children, before we proceed any 
farther, I have something to say, something 
that is of vast importance to you both, and 
it is only justice to you, dear girl, that I 
should tell you. It is going to be a hard 
blow to you, and correspondingly hard for 
our loving son, for it is just as unknown to 
him as to you. Attention was now drawn 
to the father. Eyes were open, as well as 
ears, but none so wide as those of Mrs. 
Wish and Helen. There was something 
about to happen, and they were eager. Be- 
fore you wed, my children, I wish to in- 
form you both, as he placed a hand upon 
the shoulder of John, and looking Elsie in 
the eye, that although it is unknown to him, 
this young man that you have learned to 
love is not our son, and I will kindly ask 
you to let me tell the story, and then you 
will both know the truth and can decide for 
yourselves.*' 

“Years ago," he calmly said, “we lived in 


244 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


the little town of Danzig, Germany/’ At 
the mention of that place, there were hasty 
glances toward each other, and some im- 
patient movements on the part of the Wish 
family. ‘‘We were poor,” he continued, 
‘^and I was the village smithy. I and my 
faithful little wife had tired of the continual 
hum-drum of affairs there, and we decided 
to come to America; but such a decision 
meant but little when we had not the means. 
But we both worked a little harder, saved 
a little more, and by skimping ourselves 
we saw that in the course of a year or so 
we would have enough to make the venture. 
We sent and in time received literature per- 
taining to this grand and glorious country, 
as we wished to learn as much about it as 
possible before we started. Time rolled 
around, and we had saved nearly enough 
to bring us to New York, when one eve- 
ning, as we were busily studying out the 
opportunities that were mentioned, a 
noise was heard as tho’ our front door had 
been opened. Wife opened the door lead- 
ing to the hall, but as she could see nothing 
out of the ordinary, and as the front door 
was closed, she concluded that is was some 
dogs that were prowling about the place. 
We paid no more attention to the matter 
and retired. But hardly had we the covers 
drawn over us when we heard the cry of a 
baby. I was out of bed, and on my feet in 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


245 


an instant, and wife was not far behind me. 
We now lit a lamp and went out into the 
hallway, and there before our eyes, cosily 
snuggling in a basket, lay a baby boy of 
about three months of age. It is needless 
for me to tell you that we soon hurried the 
little fellow in and cared for his wants as 
best we could, for our home had never been 
blest with childhood. The hour was late 
so we decided that we would care for our gift 
till morning before we would make any efforts 
to unravel the mystery. 

Morning came, but we could learn noth- 
ing. We notified the officers and a quiet 
search was started, but to no avail. 
Among the little articles of wearing apparel 
that were found with the child none could 
be found that would start us upon any clue 
whatever. The only thing that bore any 
marks was this,’’ said he as he took the little 
package from his pocket, the one that his 
wife had handed to him. Removing the 
wrapper, be brought to view a lady’s linen 
handkerchief. ''This,” said he, "was found 
in the basket, and on the top of the other 
articles. It had been used, and appeared as 
tho it may have dropped there by accident.” 
Holding it out, he continued, "You can see 
that it still bears the number 693 near its 
border, but that meant nothing to us, and we 
failed to gain a single thread to follow. The 
officers soon gave up the hunt, and as one 


246 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


afterward told me, that it was a lucky strike 
for the baby to be transfered from the care 
of such an inhuman person to where it was. 

By this time our hearts had warmed to- 
ward the little one, and we would have been 
sorry indeed to be compelled to give it up. 
But we were now delayed in our journey. 
Months had passed, and no trace of a par- 
ent. Another little mouth was to be fed; 
another little back to be clothed, and anoth- 
er little care thrust upon our hands that 
meant that we would stay and save a little 
longer. Wife thought that she could see 
a way for her to add a little to our income 
so she applied and received some fine laun- 
dry work to do for the elite of the town. 
Among the different articles that came to 
her hand from different parties were some 
that also bore numbers in ink such as was 
on this handkerchief, she inquired as to 
what they meant, and was told that they 
were laundry marks and that those num- 
bers were made to correspond with the 
name of the owner of the clothes, and a rec- 
ord was kept of each name and number as 
a safeguard against losses or mistakes on 
the part of the laundry management. That 
was the only thread we had as yet found to 
follow. My wife was acquainted with the 
lady who kept the laundry books, and by a 
little strategy on her part persuaded that 
young lady to look over the back records, 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 247 

for the purpose of finding number 693 , as 
well as the name that went with it. She 
did, and imparted to us the information that 
the one that had borne that number was a 
young woman that had been a waitress in 
the city tavern. Her name was Anna Bor- 
tell, and that she, along with her parents, 
had emigrated to America many months 
ago. We now gave up the search, and ap- 
plied to the courts for full possession of the 
little one that we had learned to love so 
well and in the course of time we were 
granted the child, through legal procedures.*' 
At the mention of the name there was 
commotion in the Wish family circle. Mr. 
Wish stared at his wife, while Helen's fea- 
tures were a puzzle. Mrs. Wish moved 
about uneasily upon her chair, her face was 
ghastly pale, her lips trembling and she 
bore the resemblance of one in despair. 
John had stepped from Elsie's side. He, too, 
was the picture of despair. His face had 
paled, and he trembled like a leaf. Casual 
glances he cast toward the door, and a wild 
look came into his eyes, as tho he was anx- 
ious to plunge from the house and disap- 
pear into the outer world forever. ‘*We 
loved our baby," continued Mr. Rhode, ‘‘We 
loved him as a baby, as a child, as a youth, 
and we love him still as our son. But I and 
mother had made up our minds that this 
little lady that we too love so well should 


248 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


know the truth, and tho’ it is a very hard 
blow to you both, as well as a correspond- 
ingly hard one for me to have to impart to 
you, we deemed it but justice to you both 
to learn of the truth of the matter from our 
own lips, rather than for you to learn it in 
later years and from the lips of others. You 
know the truth, children, and it is now for 
you to decide. We now have done our 
duty, may God bless you both.’’ 

He now had turned toward his seat and was 
about to seat himself and await the results 
of his heart-rendering confession, when 
with a wild look from her glaring eyes, her 
face was white as death could make it, Mrs. 
Wish sprang from her chair, and with out- 
stretched arms plunged herself at the neck 
of John, exclaiming as she did so, ‘‘My boy, 
my darling baby boy,” and fell fainting at 
his feet. All now was excitement. Every 
one was on their feet, when the minis- 
ter stepped forward, and looking down upon 
the prostrate form he raised his hand and 
exclaimed, “What, what in the world, is 
the meaning of all this?” At that, Mr. 
Wish, his finger pointing toward his fallen 
wife, replied, “It means,” said he, “That 
there lying prostrate at the feet of her de- 
serted son, is his mother Anna Bortle. For 
that was the name she bore when I first 
met her.” 

John stepped back. A mingled look of 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


249 


anger, terror, shame, all upon his noble 
face. He looked down upon her as tho he 
was tempted to stamp his foot upon her 
marble-like brow, then stooping he gently 
picked her up into his arms, carried her to 
a couch, and as gently layed her upon it. For 
a moment, he stood looking down upon her, 
as one in a dream, then smoothing her fore- 
head with his hand, he bent and kissed her. 
Helen now dropped upon her knees at his 
side, her arms upon the couch, her face 
hurried in them. She wept the tears of re- 
pentance. Water was brought, John bathed 
his mother’s brow, and was thus occupied 
when her eyes opened into his. She 
glared into his eyes for a moment and then 
hers closed, the words upon her lips, ''Will 
God forgive me?” John placed his arm un- 
der her head, and looking steadily into her 
face, he replied, "Yes, mother. He will. He 
has even forgiven greater things than this ; 
and I, too, will forgive you.” 

"God bless you, my boy,” she said. "I 
don’t deserve it.” 

John turned around just as a pair of arms 
encircled his neck, and he now looked into 
the tearful eyes of Bertha. "You now, 
John, can kiss me as a brother, and no one 
can prevent it.” John drew her to him, and 
fondly kissed her, when there were another 
pair of arms pushed hers aside, and Elsie 
looking up into his sad face remarked, "This, 


250 THE PAGES OF LIFE 

John, is your test of moral courage. Let 
us marry/’ 

John threw his arms around her, and 
looking her inquiringly in the eye, exclaim- 
ed, '*ln the face of all this, Elsie?” 

‘"Yes,” replied Elsie, ‘4n the face of all 
this, for! it has been a blessing from start 
to finish. It has shown you that what you 
thought was a curse prevented you and 
your own sister from wedlock; it has 
shown that after all there is no love or no 
ties like the paternal ones; it has shown 
that fate has the credit of placing you un- 
der the protecting hands of two of the nob- 
lest people in the world, and it has shown 
me that you are all that I desire. I want 
you for my husband.” 

Preparations were again started. Fred- 
die had been mingled with them, but un- 
noticed, eyes wide open and lips wide 
apart, he had been speechless through it 
all. He had been unable to grasp its com- 
prehension. When Bertha, with a deter- 
mined look upon her face, pushed him be- 
fore her and toward her father, said to him, 
‘‘Now, father take this child and tell them 
all about him. Tell them, tell them all!” 
she exclaimed, “If you refuse, I will do it 
myself. I don’t want my baby boy to reach 
manhood before he learns of himself, I 
want you to tell him that I am his mother.” 

Freddie put his little hands behind him. 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


251 


and backing off to the center of the room, 
while steadily staring Bertha in the eyes, re- 
plied, ‘'You don't has to tell me, ’cause I an’ 
Shep know that long, long time ago.” 

“Know it? Know it?” questioned Bertha, 
as tho’ unable to understand the little fel- 
low.” “Who? How? How did you come 
to know it? When did you learn it? And 
how? Who told you, Freddie? Who told 
you? Tell me, child, who told you?” 

“Nobody told me,” replied the little hope- 
ful, “I find it out all by myself, for when 
Uncle John came to see me that time, an’ 
we was down in the woods, he climb a 
tree to knock down some acorns an he lose 
this letter,” and reaching into his pocket he 
produced a folded letter. “I an’ Shep find 
this letter next day when Uncle John was 
gone, an’ I hide him till I go to school, an 
I learn to read him. You write this letter, 
an’ you tell Uncle John yourself that 
you is my mama an’ that Helen told 
him a lie. You tell where I is born, but I 
can’t remember that word, it’s too big. Papa 
thought he burn this letter,” he remarked, 
but he didn’t; he only burn the tover. Say, 
Bertha, is Uncle John going to be my uncle 
all the time now ?” 

“Yes”, replied John, as he lifted the lit- 
tle man up into his arms, “I am now going 
to be your sure-enough Uncle.” 

“That’s good,” said he as he again hugg- 


252 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


ed him tightly, ‘‘an’ I want Elsie to be my 
Auntie. All, all the time, too.’’ 


CONCLUSION. 


Before we bring this story to a happy 
end, dear reader, we are going to open up 
our own life’s history and draw from mem- 
ories’ pages an event that happened 
when we were a boy. Many, many years 
ago we were infested by a brother. That 
brother and us didn’t get along very well 
together. He was such a determined sort 
of a fellow and had such peculiar ideas. 
Somehow it nearly always happened that 
whenever there was a good ball game to be 
pulled off, and in which we were to take 
part, that was just the precise hour that he 
would have hoeing to do in the garden, and 
we would have to help him. Whenever the 
skating was good on the lake, and other 
boys would be going past our house with 
their skates slung over their shoulders, 
that’s when our brother liked to split wood, 
and we would have to pile it up. It didn’t 
do any good to argue with him, for he was 
lots bigger than us, and had such a convinc- 
ing way of enforcing his arguments that 
we had long since made up our mind that it 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


253 


would be better for us to reconcile ourself 
to our fate, hoping that some day he would 
awaken to the error of his ways and that 
then, maybe, we could both think alike, at 
exactly the same time. But our hopes were 
futile, and life was a drearysome piece of 
drudgery to us. We longed to get even, 
but how was it to be done? We at last hit 
upon a plan. Spring was here and the first 
day of April was but a few days off. Then, 
and not till then, would the deed be done, 
if it cost us our life. We would get even 
with him on the morning of April 1st, no 
matter what it cost. 

Mother had a medicine chest, but she did 
not need one, for the only medicine that she 
ever was known to have on hand was quin- 
ine. Mother was our family doctor and 
quinine was her remedy for everything. It 
made no difference whether it was mumps 
or measels, whooping cough, or chilblains, 
all had to give way before the healing pow- 
ers of Quinine. 

Well, we waited long and patiently till 
the opportunity presented itself and we got 
into that chest, and before we closed the lid 
we had a good big handful of quinine. April the 
1st came to hand, so did breakfast, and also 
the quinine. We sneaked into the dining- 
room while mother was in the kitchen and 
we dumped a whole handful into brother’s 
coffee cup. Oh, but it was a fine joke. But 


254 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


somehow or other we got our lines crossed, 
and that brother did the laughing. 

Breakfast was called, and we all took our 
respective place, and we expect that we 
carried to that table about as innocent a 
looking countenance as ever shone over a 
plate. But we discarded the countenance 
and haven't carried it since. From the cor- 
ner of one eye we watched mother pour the 
coffee, and from the corner of the other one, 
we watched our brother. But we suppose 
that it was because we were thinking 
of coffee that our brother kept his mind off 
from his, so we thought that we would 
start the ball a rolling by drinking ours. 
We raised the cup to our lips, took a large 
and healthy draught, and then went over 
backwards. That dear old soul looked down 
upon our upset chair, and then upon us, and 
with a bland smile she informed us that she 
could have told us that we was getting it 
too strong but as she had neither coffee or 
quinine to waste, that we would have to 
come back to the table and finish it. We 
did. And ever since that day we are very 
careful when we are removing the old 
March sheets from our calendars to remove 
April 1st along with it, and we are ready 
to go upon the witness stand at any time, 
raise our right hand, and solemnly swear 
that quinine has its curing propensities. 

Bitter? Yes, dear reader, it was bitter; 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


255 


but bear in mind that draught applied only 
to the palate, and tho’ we put in several 
hours in getting the taste out of our 
mouths we never did get it out of our soul. 
It still clings to us. So to you who have never 
tasted quinine, this story will not appeal, 
but to the ones who have, we will ask them 
to imagine for themselves a draught, one 
to which quinine was like honey in compari- 
son, and one that took a life-time to com- 
pound before its venomous qualities were 
considered of the proper severeness to 
blighten the life’s hopes of her innocent 
and unsuspecting victims; and then at last 
herself to be compelled to drain the bowl 
to its very dregs. Did it cure? Visit that 
little home in Minnesota, meet that loving 
old couple who are now enjoying the bless- 
ings that they never dreamed of before, 
whose former enemies how grasp them by 
the hand in friendship, and you, too, will 
say, ‘'Yes it cured.” 

Helen is their stand-by. She long since 
decided that the best way for her to blot 
out the clouded pages of her life’s history 
would be to bathe the whole book in the 
kindly sunshine and noble deeds that 
springs eternal from a noble woman’s life. 

Go out to where the West bes^ins. visit 
the home of John Rhode, and his loving 
wife. Ask who that little lady is that makes 
her home with them, and who is continually 


256 


THE PAGES OF LIFE 


lending a helping hand wherever a helping 
hand is needed, and they will tell you that 
is Bertha. That rosy-cheeked lad that you 
see on his way from school, his books under 
his arm, and his thoughts on his books is 
'Freddie. He, too, is fitting himself for the 
duties of a mechanical engineer. As for 
John Rhode and his faithful wife, what you 
can’t see, call for. Sidney will tell you. 

Sh What’s that? Another baby’s cry? 

Yes, that is Freddie’s little cousin setting to 
music the words that are written on the first 
pages of its life. 

Copyright 1918 
By John McArthur Will 
All Rights Reserved. 



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